


Live for you / Stay for me

by trispitas



Category: All For The Game - Nora Sakavic, Stravaganza - Mary Hoffman
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Canon Related, Canon-Typical Violence, Crossover, Disabled Character, Eventual Happy Ending, F/F, Gen, How Do I Tag, Hurt Neil Josten, I Don't Even Know, International Fanworks Day 2021, M/M, Not Canon Compliant, POV Alternating, POV Andrew Minyard, POV Neil Josten, Slow Burn, Time Travel
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-07
Updated: 2021-03-05
Packaged: 2021-03-12 04:35:26
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 15
Words: 35,240
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29254566
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/trispitas/pseuds/trispitas
Summary: “Wait. What did you say?”“You are in a parallel world, Neil. It’s okay if you are confused.” Replied the woman with the tender smile who had made way by his side.“What the fuck?”“Told you he was an idiot,” Andrew said from the back.“I don't recall asking for your opinion.” Wymack was now close to Neil, but not so close to be an immediate threat.Neil stayed in place while the older man talked. “Yes. A parallel world. Looks like you don’t give an actual fuck about the science behind it so I’ll cut it short: I chose some Foxes to join me here. It’s a safe space where whatever you’re running from, can’t get to you.”“And you come with that,” Nicky interrupted, pointing at the pin still clutched tightly in Neil’s fist. “Every time you fall asleep in your world holding it, you travel here.”Neil needed to be careful questioning if somehow this was one elaborate trick from his father. He knew it was too much trouble without enough blood for it to be his, but he had to be careful anyway. “What’s the catch?”
Relationships: Neil Josten/Andrew Minyard
Comments: 12
Kudos: 34





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> A huge shoutout to [@codename-adler](https://codename-adler.tumblr.com/) and [@fireheart05au](https://fireheart05us.tumblr.com/) for coming to my rescue when I was in need of beta readers, and for cheering me up along the way. You are my grammar superheroes. 
> 
> This story has my whole heart on it, so I can't wait for you to read it and fall in love with the world of Stravaganza as much as I have, but now, with a fresh look at the AFTG series that has given me already a bunch of sleepless nights and lots of feels.  
> I will do my very best to be constant with the updates like I had done with previous fics.
> 
> Enjoy, and tell me what you think along the way. I have lots of things coming up for this! 😉

Neil Josten breathed deeply into the smoke of the cigarette he was cupping into his hands before it vanished into thin air, while he watched how the improvised  Exy court was dismantled from the Millport's High soccer field. 

Not that it mattered for him anyway. It had been more than a year since he ran for the last time. With his legs at least. He could never stop running from his father, not when Neil managed to escape him after their last deadly encounter. 

He was sure that it was going to be the last one. 

Yet, he had been able to get up again and keep putting distance between his past and his inevitable future for months.

He should leave the grades. There was no one else around except for the staff removing the last plaques of plexiglass left. However, Neil was hypnotized by the sight. 

Every time he closed his eyes, he could imagine himself blocking the opposing strikers from taking another shot to goal, or being himself the one scoring winning points that would've taken the Millport Dingoes to go ahead to the next round of the championship. Standing on the sidelines hadn’t been enough.

Not even the acrid smell that reminded Neil of his last moments with his mother made him able to be peel away from the sight. If he only could run, he would have tried out for the Exy team and give it all. He had nothing left anyway. 

Who would care if he broke one of the last promises he’d made? Mary  Hatford wasn’t going to get up from her grave to beat him again. In that sense, he was finally free.

“Someone’s here to see you.” Coach Hernandez sat beside Neil. 

For a moment, he could swear the smoke froze just like the pumping of his heart. It wasn’t possible that his father’s people had caught on him. Neil had been careful and he was hidden in a place no one looked at. “Come on. You don’t want to make them wait.”

Neil looked at the Coach intently, searching for signs of fear, threat, or bleeding. There was only the crinkle of his smiling eyes. 

When Neil signed himself in Millport High and hung around the  Exy team to watch their training, Coach had been the only one encouraging him to try out for a spot. And when Neil told him the made-up story about the car accident that crushed his legs, the man had been gentle enough to offer him a spot as an assistant coach, even if that wasn’t a possible position in such a small team. But Neil had taken it regardless of all. 

Helping his classmates had been the only thing anchoring him to the same place for so long and he should be leaving soon. He didn’t know where or how, but it was time to move. At least from the bleachers for now.

The warm weather helped ease the pain on his bones when he sat up from the benches and followed Hernandez reluctantly. Whoever the man wanted him to see, shouldn’t be dangerous if he was still gentle and walking with a broad smile on his face. 

The first steps were always the hardest, nonetheless, Neil hid the pain behind a blank stare as he walked towards the locker room where three men were waiting for him. 

Neil’s first instinct was to turn around and get away from them, but a better look at their different heights allowed him to see that they were not his father’s men, and another glance made him realize that Neil knew them, even if only one of them had known him.

Kevin Day and a man with flame tattoos along his arms were standing straight, arms crossed, looking confident at Neil as he hid his limp on his way to meet them. His heart was hammering wild against his ribs. It had been eight years since he had seen Kevin for the first and only time. Had he found Neil after all?

The other two men didn’t need an explanation. Kevin had had a career-ending injury months ago, and while every fan waited for him to recover and take back his place as starting striker of the Edgar Allen Ravens, he had reappeared as an assistant coach for the Palmetto State Foxes, where he made an unexplainable deal with Andrew Minyard, the psycho midget on medication who became his guarding dog. Weird thing considering the crazy man had his cousin and twin on the team too.

Along with their coach, David  Wymack , the ex-Raven was promising to bring the ragtag Foxes team all the way to Spring championships. What were they doing here when Neil couldn’t play? There was no way to know.

Bitterness crept along Neil as he gave the last steps towards the striker. He had followed closely the man during his last years when Neil’s life went to hell and Kevin rise to greatness. Neil had been so close to sharing his path of fame and recognition, and even now, both were broken, taken away from a court, but Kevin was coaching for a Class I team, while Neil had just watched his high school classmates lose again. 

It wasn’t fair. However, when had life been fair for him anyway?

“Your Coach here said you don’t have a school for autumn.”  Wymack started to say without losing a beat. “I’m adding a new striker to the line, and I’m in need of a new assistant coach. It’s too rushed, but we need to tell the ERC, so here’s your contract. Sign on the dotted line and you’re in.”

The muscles in Neil’s legs were itching to run far away from that cruel joke. He could not be receiving an invite to a Class I team. There was no way he was wanted as Kevin’s replacement in the team. He was a nobody hiding, planning to get away. 

Without saying a word, he attempted to turn on his heels and walk away, but he was shoved back with an  Exy racquet, held by the tiny man with the crazy grin strong enough to knock the air from his lungs. Neil faced Kevin and Wymack again. He wasn’t in the mood or condition to fight the pocket-sized man.

“If your parents are the problem, you can come earlier, you are already an adult. Your graduation is May eleventh, right? That same day you take a plane and we take you in early to get you adjusted on your spot and that’s it. Got a pen?” Wymack insisted.

“You have something. I wouldn’t fly all the way to sign just anyone.” Kevin said when he saw Neil wasn’t about to reply. “Think about it overnight and get your coach to send the papers signed tomorrow. Don’t make us waste our time.” The striker shoved the contract on Neil’s empty hands, turned on his heels, and started to walk away. Wymack followed. 

Before joining the others, Andrew grabbed the front of Neil’s sweatshirt and pulled him a bit closer to see him face to face. “See you later.” He said with a wicked smile and pushed away. The blond man tapped to fingers to his temple in salute before catching on Kevin.

If Neil would’ve been able to run, he had done it until he left Millport and the three men behind as far from him as possible, but he returned to the abandoned house he was squatting instead.

That night, Neil dreamt of a world where could run again. 


	2. Chapter 2

Golden light was flickering through Neil’s eyelids. 

Warmth was soaking him, although he remembered falling asleep on the hard floor of an abandoned house in Millport, Arizona. 

The weather reminded him of his brief stay in Tuscany. 

It took him several tries to open his eyes. It was not only the sunny sky above and the comfortable warmth reminding him of Italy now. He was standing in some sort of piazza, surrounded by old buildings and beyond, as far as his eyes could reach, bunches of multicolored houses filled the place, like a life-sized painting he’d only seen before in books and museums. 

Not nowhere, Arizona at all. 

This was by far the weirdest, yet calmest dream Neil had had in a very long time. Usually, his nights were filled with the memory of her mother’s body sprawled on the passenger seat, or the sound of a pipe striking his legs. 

This was too good, and it felt strangely _real._

“You made it.” 

Neil spun around to find... A five-foot menace in the shape of a Minyard twin behind him. He was dressed all in black, but his clothes had something to them. They were old. Not washed out and overused like his own, but from another time. The look of the twin was strangely calm, unlike the manic edge Andrew showed during their brief meeting in Millport High. 

It must’ve been Aaron then, the “normal one”. Why was Neil dreaming of someone he only knew from news and web articles? 

“Move. Someone will freak out if they see you dressed like that.” 

When Neil gazed down to see himself, the feeling of the dream shifted. Solidified. His breath got stuck in his lungs. 

He could swear the ground beneath his feet was as real as his duffel bag. The warmth from the sun above was as undeniable as the smell of smoke and blood and burnt flesh he would never erase from his memory after burning his mother’s corpse on a beach in California almost a year ago. And his legs. There was no pain. He couldn’t remember how it felt standing straight without strain so, so long ago. 

He turned around again. Nothing made sense at all. 

It took him only another look to realize what else was strange. He didn’t have a shadow, but Aaron had. It was odd to notice such a thing as shadows in a dream, wasn’t it? But eight years on the run had taught Neil to survive with details. 

“Why I don’t have a shadow?” 

Aaron gave him a bored look before answering. “Because you are alive in your own world. Not many notices that.” 

The answer was as ridiculous as everything in the dream, but there was another detail that sent a thrill of fear through Neil. They were speaking Italian. He was sure of it, but he had to be careful asking without giving away too much of himself. “We are not talking in English, are we?” 

“No. When you come here you speak Italian.” 

Neil attempted to inquire more, but the twin cut him off. “Come on before someone sees you.” Without any more ceremony, the short man gave a half turn and started walking. Resigned, Neil followed. There was no stiffness, no pain, no effort when he put a foot in front of the other. 

He had taken only a few steps when he stuffed his hands on the pockets of his sweatshirt. His fingers found a strange object inside. 

A silver pin in the shape of a running fox. 

His brain clicked with the object in his hand. He realized that somehow, despite remembering falling asleep in the house he was squatting at in Millport, with an unsigned contract to join the Palmetto State Foxes hammering his thoughts, he was _here_. 

In a blink, Neil was on high alert, looking for his duffel bag. For the first time in months, he was able to break into a wild run to find a way out. A way back. The dream was turning out to be his worst nightmare. 

Maybe his father’s men would appear at any moment, and he had no way to escape if he didn’t know where he was, what was going on or what had happened to his belongings. 

The pint-sized man emerged from the next intersection in the multi-colored houses and cut his path planting himself in front of Neil, arms crossed in apparent boredom. 

“I hate sweating.” 

Every instinct was screaming at Neil to keep running as his mother had ingrained in him by force of heavy beatings, but Neil needed answers. It couldn’t be a coincidence that one night, David Wymack, Andrew Minyard, and Kevin Day come looking to enroll him on their Exy team, and the next thing he knew was the other Minyard chasing him in the strangest of places. 

He stopped at the last second before colliding with the man and took out the pin for Aaron to see. “What’s this?” 

The blond gave a sigh. “We’ll explain inside. Come.” 

“No. Tell me what’s this.” 

“A talisman. Your ticket here. You lose it, you can’t return.” 

“And what’s _here_?” 

“Burlesca. One of the three main islands of Belleza. Now move.” 

“You’re lying.” Neil threw the pin at the man’s face. 

He could hear something like “Don’t be fucking stupid” before everything vanished as he closed his eyes, wishing to be back in Millport. 

*** 

Neil woke up with a gasp. 

For the first time in a whole year, it wasn’t the fire, the blood under his fingernails, the sound of his mother’s body when he tried to peel her from the car seat, or the searing pain in his demolished legs that made him startle in the middle of the night. 

It had been that place. _Burlesca._

Neil sat up with effort. The small pile of clothes below his knees wasn’t enough to ease the pain of sleeping on the floor, and even if it had been only a dream, running for a few strides only increased the soreness and disappointment of being a cripple. 

He rubbed off the sleep and took his duffel bag only to be sure it was still there. It was too dark to take everything out and confirm nothing was missing. So, he had to comfort himself with the shape of it and the weight of the contract inside. 

As much as he wanted to sign it, make Coach Hernandez return it as Kevin had said, and keep being Neil Josten for another couple of months, he couldn’t risk it anymore. It would’ve been nice to graduate, but it was a luxury he couldn’t afford. Not after that vivid dream that was settling in his brain more like a memory as seconds went by. 

He left in the middle of the night.

While Neil walked as fast as he could with the lingering stiffness from laying on the floor and the chilly air of the night, he started making plans.

He could move further down the south despite not knowing Spanish. He could try the center of the country. He could call Uncle Stuart even if he was the last option, but first, he needed to get out of Millport. He must get to the highway and hitchhike until he knew what to do next. Climbing trucks won’t do any good to the pain cursing from his ankles to his thighs, but he needed to leave. 

He was so lost in his plans, that Neil didn’t notice the heavy swing directed to the back of his head. 

There was nothing more to do as he fell to the floor but think that he was finally dead, dead, dead.   
His mother would’ve given him an awful punishment for joining her in hell so soon. 


	3. Chapter 3

“Are you sure you want to keep this junkie around?" _A_ _fucking_ _Minyard_ _again_ , Neil thought through the cloud in his mind. 

“Yes.” The answer was half growl, half petulance. 

“He’s stupid as fuck and made me run. Twice.” 

“But he’s good. And fast." 

“And if he was leaving as you said, he certainly needs this.” A gruff voice interrupted. 

“How hard did you hit him that he’s unconscious in both worlds?” The last voice was completely unknown but concerned. 

Neil needed to get up and out, but his limbs wouldn’t obey him. Voices kept coming in incomprehensible snippets. It was like hearing underwater. He could half recognize Kevin’s, Wymack’s, a Minyard twin’s voice, or maybe both, and someone else’s. 

When will the strange dreams were going to stop? 

He knew he needed to get up and keep putting distance, but he felt so heavy. And a strong headache was taking home where he’d been smashed. 

Was it at Millport? Was it still that day? Neil drifted off before he started hearing voices again. 

“Oh Goddess, you killed him, didn’t you?” 

“Don’t care. Want to go next?” 

“Minyard, shut the fuck up. You are not helping.” 

“Whatever.” 

“Do something useful for once in your meaningless life and get Abby. Think you really killed him.” 

It took all of Neil to struggle through the fog imploring him to keep sleeping and wake up. The headache became worse. He was laying on a hard surface. Regardless, his legs didn’t hurt for it. 

A bright yellow ceiling hurt his eyes when he opened them. Somehow, he knew he wasn’t in Arizona anymore. He reached for the pockets of his sweatshirt and found again the fox pin inside. 

“Thank Goddess. He’s alive!” A young man with darker skin and black hair approached him while making a weird sign. Thumb and pinkie fingers linked by the tips, and with the three middle fingers extended, the man touched first his forehead, then his chest. 

“Don’t touch me!” Neil said when the people around was too close, blocking the only exit on sight. 

He recognized Kevin, Wymack, and the Minyard twins. One looked bored, and the other disinterested. Behind them was a woman trying to get to Neil. He regretted standing up as the drumming in his head became almost unbearable, but he needed to get away from that place, right now. 

“Wow kid, it’s okay.” 

“No, it’s not. Where the fuck am I? Who are you?” 

Neil felt like he should know this guy from somewhere, but he couldn’t. Not with the strange clothes everyone was wearing. Was he back at that Burlesca place? He needed to be running far, and his duffel bag was missing again. 

“Calm down. I’m Nicky, but here everyone calls me Niccolò. As Andrew explained earlier, you are in Burlesca.” 

Neil’s thoughts were wandering away with the name. He was no longer paying attention to the words spilled at him. Was this guy Nicholas Hemmick? The bigger cousin of the Minyard twins? By his looks, he wasn’t, but who else could he be? And had he said Andrew? 

He was certain it had been Aaron the one he met. There wasn’t a trace of the manic smile courtesy of the meds the twin was forced to take for the next years, but paying attention, he could see a sliver of black armbands showing off from the one with the boring look. Just like the ones Andrew was wearing back in Millport. The stare in his twin was totally disinterested instead of boring. He had been played. 

Neil was trying hard to put the pieces together when the words babbled at him lost logic. 

“Wait. What did you say?” 

“You are in a parallel world, Neil. It’s okay if you are confused.” Replied the woman with the tender smile who had made way by his side. 

“What the fuck?” 

“Told you he was an idiot,” Andrew said from the back. 

“I don't recall asking for your opinion.” Wymack was now close to Neil, but not so close to being an immediate threat. Neil stayed in place while the older man talked. “Yes. A parallel world. Looks like you don’t give an actual fuck about the science behind it so I’ll cut it short: I chose some Foxes to join me here. It’s a safe space where whatever you’re running from, can’t get to you.” 

“And you come with that,” Nicky interrupted, pointing at the pin still clutched tightly in Neil’s fist. “Every time you fall asleep in your world holding it, you travel here.” 

Neil needed to be careful questioning if somehow this was one elaborate trick from his father. He knew it was too much trouble without enough blood for it to be his, but he had to be careful anyway. “What’s the catch?” 

“There’s no catch,” Wymack answered. “You can come and go as you please as long as you don’t get stuck, but we’re not going there yet. Once you start at Palmetto you also have to be careful with the schedules. Practices, classes, and midnight traveling take a toll. I wouldn’t recommend on school nights unless you really need to come, but since you will be on vacation, you can explore as much as you like. Andrew and his lot will show you around since they are already staying with Abby in both worlds.” 

“I didn’t volunteer at babysitting.” 

“Do I look like I care? You live here and you’re always coming with Kevin despite me telling you not to. So...” 

“Yes! I’ll show you all the good places to eat. And the islands. And Belleza! Have you ever gone to Venice? It’s way more beautiful. You won’t believe it. Come on, we need to dress you first. Can’t take you outside like that.” 

In a blinding haze, Neil was dragged from the room and taken to another upstairs. It has been months since the last time he could climb stairs without wincing. 

His thoughts were spinning farther away from his reach while Nicky picked clothes from trunks. 

The hits he’d received along his life must’ve been harder than he thought for making up such an elaborate hallucination, but there was something fascinating about the whole thing that made him feel... safe. Or as safe as anybody with a past-and present-like his could be. 

He didn’t want to wake up just yet. It couldn’t hurt much if he stretched the illusion a bit longer. If he enjoyed just a little more his functioning legs. 

Nicky brought Neil back from the wandering of his thoughts when he shoved a bunch of clothes on his arms. And motioned him to change. 

“Where’s the bathroom?” Neil wasn’t getting naked in front of anyone even if it was a heavy dream. 

“Oh, my dear boy. They haven’t been invented yet. Go there.” Nicky signaled a folding screen standing on the far corner of the room. Neil looked from the screen to Nicky, to the screen again. Words were escaping him. 

“It’s okay. I won’t look even though you seem like a yummy thing to watch.” 

“Nicky, get the hell out of here before I have to knock the junkie again.” 

Neil’s thoughts raced as he heard the voice of the twin. From the whole nonsense of everything going on, Neil could be certain of only one thing: Andrew was breaking his parole. 

“You’re not on your meds.” 

“Pros of stravagating. Drugs don’t follow.” He answered with a shrug. 

“Isn’t that illegal?” 

Andrew spared only one bored look at Neil before eluding the question “We leave in five. Be quick. And take those contacts off. No need to lie here.” He was gone again before Neil could push more or complain. 

The clothes were rare to say the least, but they were comfortable. They allowed him to move freely, and he noticed a few straps that seemed strangely appropriate to carry knives or blades. He only needed to find some despite his hatred for them, and he’ll be set. Mostly. 

Neil could only guess what Andrew’s reaction would be if he didn’t take the contacts off, and he certainly wasn’t willing to be smacked again, so he got rid of them. At that precise moment, he was glad there were no mirrors around. He wouldn’t have stood the sight of his father’s eyes watching his face so close. 

Once ready, Neil went back to the room he had woken up in to join the guys so that they could go out. Neil expected some kind of recognition from Kevin now that he had shown his real eyes, but there was still no trace of it even standing a few feet from him. He released a breath. 

“Don’t break him before classes start.” Said the woman before they left. 

“We’re not monsters, Abby. We’ll take care of him.” Nicky assured. 

As he followed the rest outside, Neil felt his world crumbling and twisting upside down. However, there was not much to do except following. 

*** 

“Are we going to Bellezza? We must show Neil the piazza, and the Duchess’ palace! Oh, and the mandorlas, and-” 

“Stop it, Nicky. It’s too late.” That was the first time Neil heard Aaron speaking. While Andrew sounded always bored. His twin seemed annoyed. The difference between the two was abysmal once he heard both. Even if they were wearing matching outfits, there was no way to mistake them again. 

Kevin didn’t protest, but Neil could see he wasn’t looking forward to that Bellezza place, whatever it was. 

The cousin lost his grin for a moment before recomposing himself just as fast. “We need to get you a name anyway. As I told you, I’m Niccolò. Andrea, Aronne,” He pointed at each twin, “And because _Kevin_ doesn’t have an Italian equivalent, he’s Luigi here. We might do the same with you.” 

“Do you have a second name?” Kevin hadn’t said anything else to Neil after their encounter in Millport High. 

“Another bit of honesty wouldn’t hurt,” Andrew added. 

Neil felt the tips of his fingers itching with anticipation. With every passing second, he had the feeling that Andrew knew more than what he let show. 

He could use the same name he had on his way through Italy, but it was too risky to repeat. He could use part of his real name and it could be as risky if that triggered Kevin’s memories, but he would have said something by then, didn’t he? From their brief meeting back in Arizona, he didn’t seem like the kind of guy who would shut up just because. Plus, he seemed too afraid of the place to be suspicious about Neil. 

“Abram,” Neil said at last while looking intently at Kevin, searching for a sign. There wasn’t any. Andrew didn’t react either. Maybe he was just being paranoid, even in dreams. 

“Abramo will be. Congratulations! Now we can show you the island at least.” 

Aaron led the way, followed by Neil and Nicky, who started explaining everything and anything. From the wonders of the islands to the problems of being in another century, to the advantages of it, the fact that the islands were supposed to be ruled by a Duchess and they believed in a Goddess, instead of a God, and so on. 

In a couple of minutes, Neil’s headache from the hit and the cousin’s rambling was almost too much, but he needed to pay attention, just in case. He hadn’t survived for so long on the run by being oblivious. 

After some time, the group was again in the same piazza Neil had woken up the first time. The sun was ready to begin its way down. Despite the confusion and the futility of the place, it was beautiful. For a moment, everything was right. They were about to make him try some gelato when Kevin flinched. 

“Jean.” 

One of the boys grabbed Neil from his borrowed clothes to push him behind the nearest columns. He tried to have a better look, even with Nicky’s hands pulling him back into their hiding spot. 

Neil thought about the impossibility of dreaming of Jean Moreau too, but there he was. From the distance, he was the same size as a doll, but there was no way Neil was going to mistake the dark mark on his left cheek that made him part of Riko Moriyama’s perfect court. A three that matched Riko’s one and Kevin’s two. 

Apparently, the group was too slow to hide, because the man headed straight to them. 

“Kevin.” He said once he was close enough from them. His French accent heavy even if he was clearly speaking Italian too. 

The addressed man came out from his hiding place slowly, with Andrew following behind. The fear Kevin radiated could be felt in the whole piazza. Regardless, he motioned his tiny bodyguard to hide again the knives he had ready on each hand. Where had those come from, Neil could only guess. 

“Jean.” 

“Riko wants you back. He is moving strings to get to you.” The next flinch from the striker was caught by Andrew’s hand behind him. 

“Tell him I will cut his threads anytime. He is not touching my things.” The short man said. 

“You don’t understand. I still don’t know what he’s planning, but he will make a move on both worlds. Be careful.” 

"We’ll be ready and waiting,” Andrew answered again. Kevin had gone pale and stood anchored in place as Jean headed back the way he had come. 

“He’s going to kill me again.” It was a whisper filled with a panic Neil knew and understood too well. It was the voice of a clock ticking fast and a target on the back after leaving a permanent reminder of what was to come. 

Wymack had said this place was safe, but Kevin’s reaction made enough room to doubt that. And if for some strange reason Riko Moriyama was involved in this mess, nothing good could come from it. He was vicious, he was ready to be the best, and every follower of the Ravens knew there was more to him than what was seen. Neil’s skin prickled in anticipation for the answers he didn’t have. 

“Time to go,” Andrew stated when he stopped talking to Kevin’s ear. 

He motioned back the way they had come and no one spoke again. 


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh this is performing soooo baaad D:  
> Is it a good time to tell you that just as the original series, this will improve monstrously as the story advances???  
> Don't let my writer's self-esteem die. I beg.

Neil didn’t go back to Burlesca. 

That first and only trip had been pleasant only because of the disconcerting feeling of having his legs again, and even though he had felt safe for a moment and they had assured him there was nothing to fear, he had learned to doubt everything he heard. More so after seeing Kevin’s reaction to Jean’s warning. 

Besides, it still seemed like a crazy dream he was more than willing to forget. It will be of no use while hiding if he was caught because of the fake promise of a world living inside his brain. And he wouldn’t survive losing his legs one more time. 

Nevertheless, he hadn’t disposed of the running fox pin. There was something tempting about the possibility of a world far from his father’s reach to hide forever. But first, he needed so badly to step foot on a professional Exy court at least once in his short life. Even if it was only to cheer his team from the sidelines again. Then, he would be able to think seriously if an almost hallucination with copies of people he barely knew, talking about dangers that sounded very real, was worth the risk. 

That was why he found himself sitting beside Andrew Minyard in his expensive car on their drive to Wymack’s place, where he’ll stay until the dorms opened, as the Coach had offered since Abby’s house was already full with the cousins and Kevin. 

After the hours cramped in a tight plane, Neil felt thankful from the wide space in front to stretch his legs in front of him. Although he couldn’t let himself get too comfortable. 

The twin was off his meds again, but this time, Neil wasn’t caught off guard. He knew better than to say anything at all until the blond man spoke without any inflection in his voice. 

“You didn’t return. Too good to live without drains?” 

Neil turned to see him. With only the two of them, and the sunset making Andrew glow where he wasn’t covered in pitch black, Neil felt a rush of urgency at the big absence of something so simple in the man. 

“You don’t cast any shadows.” 

“Told you why. Don’t make me repeat myself.” 

“So, it's real,” Neil muttered more to himself as he remembered the feeling of walking and running. 

Andrew let out a sigh. “Idiot.” 

“Fuck you.” 

Unimpressed by Neil’s attitude, it took Andrew only a couple of minutes to speak again. “I wonder why someone so desperate as you wouldn’t take a chance like that.” 

“That place makes no sense.” 

“Neither do you. What’s the difference?” 

Neil kept quiet. He owed no answers to anyone, much less Andrew. And he was already getting lost in his head. Because if it all had been a dream, why did the twin have no shadow and talked about the place? And why Neil was starting to regret having taken off his contacts during his brief stay? Most importantly, what did the drama between Kevin and Riko had to do with it? 

One night, eight years ago, Neil had played along with them. They had witnessed the cruelty of Neil’s father as he shredded a man into pieces and after, his life on the run had started. While he fought to survive every single day, he saw in the news how the adoptive brothers became raising stars. 

He was jealous that he had been so close to sharing their glory, but was instead forced to stay hidden for no reason, suffering the deadly encounters with his father over and over again. Mary would never tell, even when they were dying. The only thing out of her mouth was forcing promises to stay hidden, keep escaping, and don’t get near Exy. 

While Neil was trying his best to stick to his mother’s last will as he taught himself to walk again, news broke about the broken hand, the shattered career, the brothers parting ways as Kevin joined the Foxes. And now, their story was following Neil even in his insane dreams. 

He should definitely be putting all the distance possible between himself and the drama he was getting involved in. But Exy. 

“Coach’s place is 724. Get out.” Andrew snapped him back to reality. 

They had gotten into an apartment complex. Neil didn’t need to be told twice. He wanted to get out of Andrew’s space as soon as he could. He grabbed the duffel bag he had put in the trunk. He barely had time to close it when the car sped around the curb to get out. The driver’s window was open, so Neil could see when Andrew tapped two fingers to his temple and said, “See you soon, _coniglio_.” 

Then he was gone. 

*** 

Climbing seven flights of stairs was problem enough for Neil, and the weight of his decision churning in his stomach was making his steps slower than usual. 

He had accepted the contract only out of his love for Exy, but he hadn’t counted all the implications around. Mary would have given him a few serious bruises by now. 

He needed desperately to inhale the smoke of a cigarette. Feel some kind of comfort from his decisions. But he knew better. Comfort wasn’t a thing he could have. Exy was, even from the sidelines. He’ll stick to his plan. Be around for a couple of months, enjoy it while it lasted, and get away before any suspicion could arise. 

Yes, he’ll do that. How much could it hurt to be Neil Josten a while longer? 

Neil pulled a straight face before reaching for Wymack’s apartment. He was about to knock on the door when he heard a desperate panic attack coming from inside. 

“...was right. He’s coming for me. He wants to get to me in both worlds. You have to do something.” Regardless of the terror that sounded so alien in that always overconfident voice, Neil knew it belonged to Kevin. It was the same terror after their encounter with Jean months ago. 

“Do what? Go to the ERC and point out that Riko is completely nuts and killed his number two in a parallel world?” 

“No. No. Just-I can’t-I can’t play again.” 

“Damnit Day, I’m not asking. You will. You can’t face him in Bellezza but you can face him on court. Here. Show him what you’re made of. This is your chance to turn the tables.” 

“He’ll take me back. They will make sure of it. One way or another. I can’t stravagate anymore. I-” 

“Shut up. You signed with me. You are as mine as any other Fox. And you have Andrew. Don’t tell me you forgot the promise of the little psycho. And you know Riko won’t show his face in Bellezza. Not after everyone saw him for what he really is.” 

“It’s too much. I can’t tell him no. I can’t escape him in any world. I’m done.” 

Footsteps were heard. Then the thump of a body over furniture, followed by the clink of glasses and the sound of liquid pouring. 

“You aren’t. We’ll find a way around it. We have until June. The ERC at least allowed to keep the notice on hold after last year’s disaster. Can you keep quiet too?” 

“Andrew will go after him. He heard Jean and he threatened to end Riko’s plans. He’ll kill Riko before the season even starts and we’ll be doomed.” 

“That’s why you are staying quiet. I only gave you the heads up so you can pull your shit together before making a scene in front of the others. They don’t need to know their champion freaks out like that.” 

“But Andrew will know I’m lying and then he will kill me before Riko does.” 

“Are you deaf? You won’t lie if you don’t say anything to either of them. Now drink. And calm the fuck down. I can’t deal with your problems if you can’t even breathe.” 

“I need to hear it from Jean. He must know.” 

The sound of plastic thrown and caught was followed by footsteps to the front door. Neil attempted to leave before he was found eavesdropping. He was too slow to retreat. Wymack halted to a stop when he found Neil retracing his steps in the hallway. 

“You made it early. How much did you pick?” Coach asked while lighting up a cigarette. There was no accusation in his voice for finding the boy hearing. Neil took the stick offered to him. He needed the smoke to burn his lungs as much as his thoughts were searing his brain. 

“Not much. Kevin is having a total breakdown because of Riko.” 

“Right. The Ravens moved districts. We’re facing them next season. The announcement will be made in June.” 

The few pieces that still made sense in Neil’s world crumbled under the weight of Wymack’s words. 

It was a whim for Neil to be here. A risk to share teams with someone from his past. But it was total suicide to even fathom facing the best team of Class I Exy considering he signed with the very worst. And that was even before considering Riko could recognize him even if Kevin hadn’t, but he had to keep that last bit from everyone. 

“We can’t play against them. They will smash us.” 

“That’s their intention and why we brought you in. You help me train them. The team plays. I see what I can do to keep Riko far from Kevin. Do you know why he is here?” 

“The accident. Everyone knows. It was all over the news.” 

If there was something Neil knew about, it was that fallout for sure. The heirs of Exy that he envied so much vanished last year, only to break hearts months after when they talked about the incident on the mountains. Kevin’s left hand had been damaged beyond repair and he wasn’t playing again. It was a low blow for everyone to see the brothers shattered like that because of misfortune. 

For Neil, it was sort of elating knowing one of them was ripped apart from Exy as he had. 

But still, nothing explained why Kevin had run directly into the losers’ team. He was a champion. Every single coach would’ve given their right arm to have him on their side. There were no special reasons to pick the Foxes. However, as Neil thought about it, he started having an awful hunch for the direction their talk would take. 

“Wrong. Can I trust you won’t run away screaming? I don’t need another panicked boy to deal with right now.” 

The smoke curling and getting lost in the wind made Neil felt steadier than how he actually was. Wymack took his silence as a nod. 

“Riko and Kevin grew up together as you know. But they did in two worlds, not just this.” The Coach waited only for a heartbeat before telling the full story. 

“See, the Moriyamas are a part of the yakuza that ended in this side of the ocean. They hold a fuckton of power and control many things we probably don’t want to know. But the family is divided. Kengo and his firstborn, Ichirou, oversee the important mafia stuff, while Tetsuji-Kengo's brother-has only Riko and Exy as long as they don’t cross any lines. The thing about both branches is that they are not only powerful here. They also are in the parallel world you got to see.” 

“When stravagation started, a few years ago in here, in the XVI century there, the di Chimici family-sort of an equivalent of the Medici-wanted to control the travels to export our technology and use it for their own benefit, but they were kept at bay by other stravagantes and a few good di Chimicis. However, word spread about these travels to the Moriyamas, they got rid of the di Chimici family and started ruling here and there, after disposing of every stravagante who dared opposing resistance to the new order.” 

“Regardless of being delegated, Tetsuji and Riko have access to that world, so the Ravens train by day in the Nest, and by night in the Palazzo. Kevin wasn’t taken under their wing out of charity, but to be a star beside Riko. Tetsuji put loads of money to ensure Riko’s perfect court. But Kevin was better than the auto proclaimed number one and it was pointed out, something Riko didn’t take well. To favor his nephew, Moriyama brought them back to the Palazzo for a brutal face-off. Riko knew he had been surpassed. He couldn’t stand to be second in his own perfect court, so he lashed out at Kevin and fought him in both worlds before he killed him in the main piazza of Bellezza.” 

“What Riko didn’t count within his rage, was that Kevin held to his talisman during the entire fight because they had been in the autumn banquet a few hours ago, so his body died in Bellezza, but he managed to return here before that happened. It was a close call to get away from the Moriyamas. Then he appeared all beaten up and hand broken in our hotel room, looking for shelter, and we took him in.” 

Neil’s brain was racing with Wymack’s words. It wasn’t the illogic part that was worrying him, but the fact that he understood finally after all those years, why he had been in Evermore so long ago. His father and the Moriyamas were probably business partners, which opened up the awful possibility of the Butcher knowing about this parallel world too. A wave of nausea rolled in his stomach. 

Oblivious to the wheels steering in Neil’s head, Coach kept talking. 

“The main problem now is that Riko and Tetsuji are here to take Kevin back, one way or another because he became a wild card, and only by winning the Ravens, we will be able to save Kevin’s life. Otherwise, he is a lost investment for the family and they will certainly kill him. In both worlds this time.” 

“Everyone knows this from Kevin himself. Well, not the whole team knows about our trips to Talia, but they do know the danger we’re in because of the Moriyamas. So, I have to figure out how to break the news and make this team a winner one before the season starts. We hope you’ll help with that last part.” 

“Why you keep going there if the Moriyamas are behind him and killing stravagantes?” Neil asked instead of prying why he had been selected as Kevin’s substitute. 

“They don’t pay much attention to a small place like Bellezza or the islands and we are not a threat for them. It’s really a safe place to hide from the horrors of this world, even for Kevin. Citizens saw the stunt that Riko pulled when he killed Kevin, so he isn’t welcome anymore. Speaking of Kevin, I should go and check on him. Do you mind coming back later?” 

Neil nodded. He was too concerned to talk anymore. 

“I can take your things inside if you want though.” 

“I’m fine.” He tightened his grip on the duffel bag. 

“Okay then. I meant to give you this any other time, but here you go.” Wymack dropped a bunch of keys into Neil’s palm and pointed at them almost too quick to remember. “Building, house, stadium. See you in a few hours. By the way, there’s an elevator beyond the stairs.” 

His Coach went inside to keep putting down the fire with Kevin, while Neil was left alone again, feeling the knives of his father carving his skin, a pipe smashing his legs, and his lungs choked with the smoke of a burning car. 

He left as fast as his limbs allowed him without turning back. 


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Soft Wymack (sort of). And first night practice with a twist.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Keep reading!  
> Cross my heart it keeps getting better and better.  
> Already cried and laughed writing a few chapters ahead.

Neil’s footsteps lead him far away from his thoughts, and straight into the gates of the Foxhole Court. Its massive body covered in bright white and searing orange was enough to anchor Neil back into the ground. Hold him tight into this world. 

He grabbed the wire fence until his knuckles went white. Even from the outside, the sight was enough to send shivers and make him forget entirely of his problems. If there was any risk that his father might get to him either in this Earth or a parallel one–as illogic at it still sounded-he couldn’t care less. Not went he could almost feel a racquet between his fingers and smell the polished floor creaking underneath his feet while the balls rebounded on the plexiglass at the same time that the fans roared. 

It didn’t matter that he wasn’t going to be playing. Being so close was already a dream come true. It was all worth it. 

His father was meant to catch him anyway, so it better be after he spent his last months as he always wished. He wasn’t wasting this away despite what it will certainly cost him. 

From this close, the fox paws painted on each wall of the stadium seemed like a promise of safety from his past, his family, and the Moriyamas. More so than the crazy place he still tried to forget. 

“Don’t let all the orange deter you. It starts growing on you after some time.” 

Neil flinched at the sound of the voice. It was Nicky. He was almost unrecognizable dressed in normal clothes, as the rest were. 

Kevin had joined them too. He was looking pale, but not as decomposed as he sounded some time ago. The twins also wore normal clothes and if there wasn’t a way to mistake them before, it was even harder now. Aside from the armbands that Andrew had on full display, his bright manic smile was back in place. Neil’s nerves stood on edge. The man was an entirely different creature with his meds on and Neil certainly didn’t need to prove by himself if rumors of his psychopathy were true. 

“Wymack send us to show you around. Come on.” 

“Keys?” Kevin motioned Neil to approach the gate and teach him both the code and how to open the lock. 

They all showed Neil the whole stadium. From inner court to the showers with stalls, everything seemed like a dream. It was even more surreal when Kevin urged him to change into his own gear and going inside with the guys for his first scrimmage. 

Everyone had the heads up that Neil couldn’t run, but Kevin insisted for some reason that he was going to play one day, so he placed Neil on a side between half courts and let him act as a fixed dealer. 

By the time Kevin called to a stop, Neil was soaked in sweat and shame for his poor ability against them, but he didn’t mind. He was ready to come back the next day and the next after, and every single one he was allowed to do so until he was forced to leave for good. 

The cousins rushed out of the court while Kevin approached Neil and placed a hand to his eyes. 

“What do you see?” The man asked. 

“Nothing.” 

“Don’t be stupid. You are in a court, with a racquet on your hands, and sweat on your face. What do you see?” 

Neil knew what he saw. What he felt. He didn’t need to close his eyes or have Kevin’s hands covering his sight. He had to swallow hard to undo the knot forming in his throat, and he had to breathe several times before finding his voice again. 

“I see myself playing.” 

Anybody else would’ve laughed at Neil’s statement, but Kevin only dropped his hand. He knew what Neil was feeling. At least regarding his broken legs. “You can do it. I need you to do it. But you must trust me. Give me your game and I will take you there.” 

“But my-” 

“If I’m playing again, you can too. I don’t care about your excuses. You will if you let me help.” 

Hope and temptation were treacherous things. Dangerous promises that Mary had taken from Neil with fists and screams, even in the end, when she forced her bleeding body to get up and splint Neil’s legs with wooden sticks and dirty bandages, the woman had been strong enough to make sure that his son would stand up again to keep going. 

Neil couldn’t do that anymore. Not when he was hearing the promise of the future that he longed the most. 

“Fine.” 

Kevin nodded in acknowledgment and left to the locker room. 

Once they were all showered, they piled into the expensive car, with Neil pressed on the back between the Minyards. 

“Will you honor us with your presence tonight?” Andrew inquired once the car was moving. Neil didn’t need to ask. He knew the twin wasn’t referring to dinner at Abby’s house. 

“Never.” 

“Ouch.” 

“Are you serious?” Nicky asked glancing through the rearview mirror. “We were going to show you, Bellezza. You didn’t return and it’s amazing! Wait until we arrive at Abby’s, we will fill you on everything about Talia.” 

“I’m fine here.” He would never admit that by now, he had learned that Talia was the equivalent of Italy, as Bellezza was of Venice, and Burlesca was named Burano in this world. But it was easier to let that slip than accepting the increasing possibility that his father could know that too. 

“Immagina di essere uno storpio e di dover lasciare le gambe dietro ogni notte. Sta 'zitto.” _Imagine being a cripple and having to leave your legs behind every night._ _Shut up._ Aaron interrupted. 

Neil could barely hold himself silent. They didn’t need to know he was fluent in Italian in this world as well, regardless of that meaning he had to bear them criticizing him to his face. Fortunately, Nicky ignored his cousin and kept talking to Neil in English. “You’ll have a wonderful time there. Trust me. You’ll see.” 

“Oh, Nicky, Nicky, naïve Nicky. He’s going to join the party sooner or later! Don’t push him yet.” 

“I’m not. Fuck off.” 

The only reply Neil got was a crazy smile from Andrew, and an epic eye roll from Aaron. 

There was no way Neil returned. 

Not with the crazy lot. Not even if his life depended on it. 

He would never admit that by now, he had learned that Talia was the equivalent of Italy, as Bellezza was of Venice, and Burlesca was named Burano in this world. But it was easier to let that slip than accepting the increasing possibility that his father could know that too. 

He could risk being found because of Exy, but he would never, ever risk his life going to a place like Bellezza. 

To Neil’s relief, Abigail Winfield, whom he had met on his first trip to Burlesca, was nice, patient, and kept the other men at peace with kind smiles that collided against Wymack’s rude manners. Despite it, they worked like a family, which left Neil feeling half-empty even if the dinner had been the best he’d had in a long time. 

At some point late in the night, Wymack and Neil retreated to the Coach’s place. 

After showing the small apartment to Neil, the man left him in the middle of the living room and disappeared into another room. He emerged with a bunch of blankets messily folded in his hands and let them fall on the couch. 

“I’m too big for the couch, but if you need the bed, take it. We can make arrangements tomorrow to send one of those morons here so you can have one of Abby’s beds. And I’m better off with neck pain than with you hurting before you even start.” 

“I’m fine,” Neil answered in automatic. He had spent weeks stuck on the back of a car, unable to move too much, and then, sleeping in trucks while hitchhiking or sprawled on hard floors. Having a couch was the best he’d have in months. He wasn’t going to complain about it. 

“Here.” Wymack nodded unconvinced but let the topic slide in favor of dropping a small key fall into Neil’s palm. Neil faced the coach with a blank stare. “It doesn’t take a genius to know you are glued to your goddamned bag. You can leave it in the bottom drawer of my desk, it’s the only one with a lock. You can give back the key when you move to the dorms.” 

Neil looked from the key in his hand to Wymack, and then, to the keys already stuffed in his pocket. In only hours, the coach had given him more keys than Neil had had in his entire life and Kevin had promised he would play again. Neil was overwhelmed with too many feelings he shouldn’t be experiencing. 

“Don’t look at me like that kid. It’s time that someone does something nice for you. That’s what the Foxes are about. Now go on. Get ready to sleep.” 

*** 

While Wymack let Neil wander around Palmetto freely and never pushed him into going to Burlesca, shoving the cousins’ lot away with their delusions of meeting at night was even harder than he expected, but he managed as best as he could through the following weeks until June arrived, and time came for the rest of the Foxes to start returning. 

So far, he only knew Abby, team nurse but also “adoptive mother” along with Wymack for the ones traveling by night. As Nicky had explained, they were the _famiglia_ Volpe. Just like the Cullens from _Twilight_ , but with a better landscape. If only Neil knew or cared about what the fuck was _Twilight_. 

He was there to be around Exy and nothing else. That was what his contract said, and he was doing his very best, but Kevin was insufferable at his best and truly hateful on the bad days, especially as the moment of the ERC’s announcement approached. 

It didn’t matter how many ideas Neil had, how many strategies he came up with, how much he pushed himself when he was acting as a fixed player or how much he was able to stay in his role of silent Neil Josten and avoid lashing out at Kevin’s venomous comments, fueled by Andrew’s manic laughter, Aaron’s indifference or Nicky’s words of encouragement. The striker couldn’t have enough of Neil and it was at the end of one of their practices when the former Raven finally snapped. 

“At least you could try.” 

Nicky and Aaron flew when they heard the storm about to pour over Neil. 

“I am,” Neil replied through clenched teeth and thick drops of sweat falling around the bandana holding his hair back. 

“Try harder. Try for real. You will never get where I need you to be if you only train here. Where’s your talisman?” 

Neil’s hot sweat became ice at the mention. 

No, no. He wasn’t traveling. 

When he agreed to play with Kevin, he only thought about the hell his life was going to turn in by days, as it had been so far. Kevin wanted to bust Neil’s play insanely high even if Neil couldn’t move more than a few steps from his fixed spot, and he knew the reason behind the striker’s pressure, but night travels were never part of their deal. 

Besides, said talisman was buried under his eight outfits, along with the binder where he kept his secrets, inside his duffel back, safely guarded in Wymack’s locked drawer. 

A short wave of relief allowed some air inside his lungs. He was in denial but not stupid. There was no travel without an object from that other world. He’ll stay here. Neil will endure anything Kevin threw at him, but he’ll do it in this world. Not in the invented one. 

“Andrew.” Kevin waited until the little man approached. A psychotic smile blooming all over his face. “Take Neil to our court, and don’t let him return until he lands at least one shot at your goal.” 

Without another word, Kevin turned on his heels and strode back to the locker room to get changed. 

Neil didn’t even have a chance to get far when he felt Andrew’s iron grip holding his shirt. He smacked Neil to the floor in a careless move that rattled every single bone and sent jolts of agony through his legs despite the equipment. 

“It’s just you and me, Neil!” The twin said while he sat cross-legged beside the striker. His hold was so strong and Neil was so burned out that he couldn’t get free despite how hard he fought. “Are you sleeping on your own, or maybe you want some help?” 

Neil sent a murderous look to the twin. His head still throbbed from time to time with the remainder of Andrew’s strength behind a stick. 

“Can’t go without that bloody thing you use.” 

“British tantrums, you’re full of talents! Now, don’t worry. I’ll make sure you have a safe journey.” The short man replied with a wide smile. 

Reluctantly, Neil willed himself to close his eyes while lying on the cold floor of the court. He thought it would be impossible to fall asleep like that, with the crazy man by his side, but exhaustion betrayed him, and he felt the blackness of sleep spreading at the time that a strong hand grabbed his neck. 

*** 

The ceiling at least was light blue and not blinding yellow wherever Neil had woken up. 

His legs were fine again. His chest filled with a mix of happiness and dread for giving them up when he had to return. 

“Up. I’m not spending the whole day playing stickball.” 

The sudden change in Andrew’s appearance and mood was disturbing enough without adding that he was already up and dressed in the same weird clothes Neil saw during his first and last visit. 

To Neil’s surprise, his body was still wearing the lent clothes too. 

“Can’t go back without me. I have the talisman. And you heard Kevin. Move.” 

With no more options available and trapped in this other world he didn’t know, Neil followed Andrew. They had arrived at the same house of the first time. It seemed empty. 

They went out and Andrew walked through narrow streets that twisted and turned in ways that left Neil confused despite his impeccable orientation. 

Houses scattered more and more as they advanced until there was only a big wooden construction in the middle of nowhere. Grass was on one side, and the sea on the other. Nowhere to run, nowhere to hide. Neil’s instincts screamed to get far from there right now. Regardless, he knew the man in front could be fast for a chase. He had no choice but to keep following Andrew inside the building. 

It was an enormous barn. Or an abandoned factory, if factories had been invented yet. The blond shoved into Neil’s arm a paddle more or less the size of an Exy racquet, and he took a much bigger one for himself, along with a bucket full of balls. 

Neil eyed the instruments and the “court”. It had nothing against the magnificence of the stadium back at Palmetto. Everything was made of wood. Dark, breakable, hard, splintered. No decorations and most importantly, there was no proper equipment. Neil gave Andrew a concerned look. 

“Kevin says it’s better the hardest way. I don’t care. Move your ass now.” 

Neil balanced the paddle between his hands in a vain attempt to get his hand used to the weird feeling of wood and picked a ball from the bucket. It was heavy and the surface was rough. He had unpleasant suspicions of what was made of as he recalled some history lessons read in sportsbooks. Better get done with it soon. 

For a brief moment, while he threw the ball in the air and adjusted his aim towards the rustic goal Andrew was guarding, Neil had the feeling it was going to be an easy task. Much easier if Andrew didn’t have his manic energy or his crazy smile on him. 

It took longer to build the illusion that it was for the goalie to smack the ball back and send it crashing against the opposite wall with such momentum that the whole building shook around them, making snow of sawdust fall over them. 

Neil threw shot after shot after shot with the renewed energy the body in this world had, but it was of no use against Andrew’s perfect reflexes. It was second nature for him. Neil ran back and forth from the barn to pick up the balls and try again and again and again. 

Time blurred; he didn’t count attempts. Each one was deflected with scary accuracy. The only way to know how long they had been, was when the light began to dim through the domes above. Neil was so focused on scoring, that he didn’t feel the burning of his arms and legs until the paddle used like a racquet slipped from his fingers and slammed the wall along with his last shot. 

“Bigger idiot that how you look.” 

“Shut the fuck up.” 

Neil was going to walk and grab the equipment to keep trying when a ball was thrown his way. His fingers rose it, but his grip was gone, and what was worse, he tripped over the ball and fell. There wasn’t enough force left in his arms to land with dignity. 

“Kevin will be insufferable when he hears his future Court player burned out like the junkie he is. And Coach will be too.” 

Neil could only roll on his back and sat up with the grace of a newborn before replying to Andrew’s mockery. “I don’t need your lies to remind me I’m bad.” 

“I don’t lie. You burned out. You are a junkie and Kevin really believes you’ll make it to Court one day. Such disappointment. Time to go.” 

“No. We still have time. I can do it.” 

“If you couldn’t within the first two hundred and seventy-five tries, you won’t now.” 

“But-” 

“Shut up. We’re going back. I’m not leaving my body in a fucking wooden court.” 

Neil was so tired and sore that he didn’t find the strength to ask what Andrew had meant with that and followed back to the white house, up to the same room they had woken up in the morning. Or night, whatever. Neil wasn’t wasting his thoughts on that and lied down on the bed. This time, Andrew lied down too. 

When Neil opened his eyes again, he was alone in the Foxhole Court. 


	6. Chapter 6

Moving was harder than usual. And that was saying something. 

Neil was feeling an impossible amount of exhaustion after his shameful attempts trying to score in Andrew’s wooden goal. At least, he found that his splintered hands from the wooden paddle were unharmed here. Kind of. If he touched them, he could feel a distant stinging. 

He had to put all his effort into bringing one foot in front of the other and eventually, he made it to the showers. He might’ve fallen asleep under the warm spray, or maybe he moved in autopilot. It was impossible to tell with so much pain coursing through his bones. 

Neil knew that was the day the Foxes returned. He was supposed to be at Wymack’s place to retrieve his duffel bag and return to the court until Matthew Boyd arrived because their Couch had been very specific making a point for Neil to wait for his teammate before moving into the dorms, but he was in no shape to go back just yet. He fell asleep on one of the lounge’s couches. 

*** 

A key twisting on a lock made Neil lurch awake. 

“Weren’t you staying with David?” Abby’s gentle voice asked from the other side of the room. 

When he attempted to rub the sleep from his eyes, Neil found that he had burned out his arms indeed last night. Just then he started to believe in the other world. As if being able to run freely hadn’t been proof enough before. 

“Got late practice.” 

The team nurse was too motherly to be true. That was something alien for Neil, who grew up between escapes, beatings, knives, and gunshots, but she knew how to keep her distance; a treat Neil appreciated deeply. “Don’t let Kevin be too abusive. You need to sleep.” 

There was a moment of silence. Neil didn’t know how to do small talk, and he was supposed to have his things ready by then. It wasn’t long before his teammates started to arrive. He got up and was on his way out when Abby talked again. “Hey, Neil. We still have some time. We might as well get your physical done.” 

“My what?” Neil was stopped in his tracks. He didn’t know there was a physical exam involved. He was clearly not going to pass it with his useless legs and the mess on his upper body. 

“It’s all right. Only weight, height. Some bloodwork. It takes no time.” 

Neil swallowed his apprehension and walked towards Abby's office. It was quick indeed until she gestured to his clothes. “Shirt off.” 

“No.” Panic roared in Neil’s ears. This was just too much in so little. 

“Neil,” There was her fond tone again. “I need to see if you have track marks.” 

“I don’t.” 

“Great. But I need to see.” 

“I got to get back to Coach’s place to get my things.” 

“I know. Would you rather do this when the rest of the Foxes arrive?” 

He swallowed hard, weighing his options. Keeping his secrets safe or show them to continue near the only thing he had left. Exy won again, as it had been for the past months. 

“Don’t ask. I won’t talk.” 

“Okay.” When she noticed Neil hesitating, she added. “Just so you know, I come from the XVII century from a parallel world. I’ve seen things.” 

“Hope they’re not as bad.” 

Her reaction after he took his shirt off was every bit as awful as he expected. Parallel world or not, no one was ever ready to see the collection of destroyed skin that covered Neil’s upper body after half a life with a hot-tempered man, and then another half trying to run from him. But he had no track marks. 

“We can take you to Bellezza and-” 

“No.” Neil cut her off. He didn’t want to know her insane offer, and it wasn’t like he could have an unmarked body with a happy childhood there, so he got her clearance and escaped from her office before she could keep talking or Neil gave in to the curiosity that has been building inside of him for that other world. 

He wanted to run before caving in his increasing need to know if there was really a place beyond the Butcher’s reach. Getting his hopes up for an illusion wouldn’t take him far. He forced his legs to go faster than they could. 

His steps lead him back to Wymack’s place in record time despite the burning that was threatening to make him fall as he got closer. 

When he arrived, Neil was out of breath and sweating again. His last strides to the door were a painful reminder of last night’s mistake. And as Andrew said, Wymack had the heads up, because he received him throwing a bag of beans to his chest that ended in the floor after Neil’s arms failed to catch. Again. 

“Kevin said you wouldn’t be able to move today after last night’s practice. I said you weren’t stupid. Guess I am too for giving you that much credit.” 

“I can move.” 

“Barely. Go get your things, I’ll give you a ride back.” 

Neil obeyed. During the short trip, he had time to spare feeling weary about meeting so many people and his nerves were standing on edge by the perspective of having the full team on his heels pressing to meet in Talia. He could only hope Coach was right when he assured Neil that only a few Foxes traveled. 

Right then, with his duffel bag secure again by his side and much more questions than answers, Neil wondered for the millionth time if being part of a Class I Exy team, with a distant promise of playing again was worth all the troubles he’d been through so far and the more to come. 

The bright orange of the stadium was again the only answer he needed. 

*** 

An immense truck was already parked when they arrived. Neil followed behind Wymack. He couldn’t tell if his steps were slow because of the exercise, or because he didn’t want to meet anyone else. The cousins' lot was hard enough to keep up with. He couldn’t imagine standing another bunch like them. 

To his surprise, Matt Boyd was as tall as he was friendly and although he double looked at Neil when he knew he only had one duffel bag as luggage, he didn’t push or question and was happy to give Neil a summary of the rest of the team, as well as an honest offering of back up if he needed help against the Monsters, as they called the cousins’ lot. 

They headed together to Fox Tower and unpacked the insane number of belongings from Matt’s truck. 

It took them several hours and more travels through the stairs than Neil would’ve wanted, but he remained shut all along. Neil allowed himself the luxury of thinking that maybe not the whole team had been updated about his inability to play. Of course, he couldn’t that lucky. 

“So, which bed are you taking?” Neil asked, looking at the bunk bed on one side, and the chest-high bed across. 

“Too big for the upper bunk and Seth’s too tempered to share. Guess I’m taking the bottom one.” The tall man gave a couple of steps before turning again. “Oh shit. Sorry, man. If you need the lower one, Seth and I can arrange ourselves and-” 

“I’m fine.” Neil cut Matt before he talked further and said something that could actually hurt Neil. It was true that avoiding the climb would make his life easier, but Neil wasn’t there for special treats. 

“You sure?” The other man asked with real concern painted all over his friendly face. Neil nodded. 

Once that was settled, Matt went to the airport to get the girls. Matt offered Neil to come, but he needed to find linens and a safe place to keep his binder, so he parted to the nearest store. 

Neil couldn’t remember the last time he had had a bed or space for himself, but he wasn’t taking any chances with his few belongings even if Matt had assured him robberies were not a thing to be worried about. 

After eight years running from his criminal father, Neil had inherited all of his mother’s paranoia towards everyone. He had learned the hard way that it was best to be safe than sorry. So despite how much he hated the idea of not being able to run there by himself and leaving his duffel behind, with only the lock of the dorm and a small drawer as protection, he took a cab to the store and rushed as much as he could on his way back. 

When Neil returned, his stomach plummeted when he spotted Matt’s truck parked. The way to the dorm felt eternal, but the door was locked, and he could hear chatter a few dorms away. He didn’t lose any time overhearing the voices and got inside to lock his binder inside the little safe box he bought. 

Taking out the duffel bag from the drawer was as complicated as getting it in had been an hour ago. That space wasn’t meant to fit anything that large, however, Neil didn’t want his things within easy reach from anyone. Not when he was hiding a small fortune and a life of secrets on it. 

Everything seemed in place until he opened the bag. His clothes were in the same order and kept the same folds. His binder was hidden at the bottom. Neil took it out and start going through every plastic cover inside. 

Paper cuts of everything regarding Riko and Kevin he had collected during the last years covered the visible walls of the material. It was between the collages where his most important belongings were. He knew by heart the shapes and volumes of all the cash, credit notes, and codes with phone numbers of his mother’s criminals contacts inside. Nothing was missing. 

Alas, there was a note pasted in one of the plastic protectors, covering Kevin’s face in an article regarding his transfer to the Foxes. The handwriting was messy. Written counter clock before Neil returned. An anvil fell through his gut as fear invaded him. 

_Coniglio in esecuzione. Volpe bugiarda._

Running rabbit. Liar fox. 

So far, Neil had been careful whenever the cousins spoke Italian. Nicky explained they learned it shortly after starting to travel to Bellezza. They didn’t know Neil was fluent too, so he had to stay quiet whenever they spoke about him within hearing reach, but if they were calling him a liar, maybe there was a chance they had dug out some of his lies. 

He should be leaving fast and far. Regardless, his anger got the best of him, and a few seconds later, he was picking the lock to the cousins' dorm. Understanding Italian or not, they had crossed over his privacy, and he wasn’t allowing it to happen again. 

“Stay away from my things.” 

Aaron looked from the opened door where Neil was standing, to Nicky. “L’abiammo bloccato.” 

Fury spread wider through Neil by the language change and the unconcerned looks directed at his intrusion, so he switched to French and directed it to Kevin. 

He heard him speak it when he called Jean after his breakdown in Wymack’s place, and he wanted to make clear that he wasn’t going to allow harassing outside of the court. He’s had enough with last night’s practice. 

“Je te parle, arrogant insupportable.” _I’m talking to you, insufferable arrogant._

Andrew finally lowered his cigarette and looked away from the window. “You can move after yesterday's failures and you learned a new language at the same time! How talented!” 

Kevin talked at the same time. Anger firing his eyes. “Comment est-ce que tu viens de m'appeler?” _What did you call me?_

“Tu m'entends poids échec décevant. Mets une laisse sur ton animal avant moi.” _You heard me,_ _disappointing_ _failure. Put a leash on your pet before I do._

Neil was about to slam their door when a pair of hands grabbed him from the collar of his shirt and plastered him to the wall of the hallway. 

“You won’t talk to me like that.” 

“I’ll talk to you however I want if you and your minion don’t stay out of my things.” 

Kevin’s answer died in his throat as Matt appeared from nowhere and peeled him of Neil. There was an elbow meeting the backliner's ribs, and then the striker was stumbling down the hallway after an incredible right hook. 

The door to the cousins’ room must’ve been still open for them to see, because when Matt was going after Kevin for another punch, Andrew stepped in, with a broad smile on his face. 

“I wouldn’t do that again if I was you!” The goalie said. 

Matt was still steaming, clearly thinking if it was worth stepping over the twin to get another swing at Kevin when two girls ran to him. 

The one with white hair dyed in pastel rainbow at shoulder length walked to face Andrew without budging. She must be Renee Walker then. From both his research on the Foxes and Nicky’s unless talks, he knew the girl was considered the saint of the team, but there was darkness buried deep inside of her peculiar hairstyle, her boring clothes, and the cross around her necklace that made Neil want to get as far from her as he could. 

“Hi Renee, you’re back!” 

“I am. Hi Andrew.” Renee replied with a gentle smile that didn’t reach her eyes. 

“We haven’t been here for an hour and you we’re fighting already? Really?” Said the girl beside Matt. Her hair was short and there was an unsettling fierceness in her eyes. Danielle Wilds. Their captain. 

“Don’t blame us! He was the one bringing the fight this time.” 

“After you went through my things,” Neil answered. 

“Guys, I don’t care who started what. We are supposed to be a team. Knock it off.” 

“It’s knocked, captain. Neil will be riding with us, right?” Andrew’s smile spread wider. 

“Are you?” Danielle asked towards Neil. 

He didn’t want to accept their ride. He knew the direction the talk would take once inside the doors of the vehicle, but he wasn’t there to make any more waves around him. He nodded. 

"Don’t you dare running, _coniglio_.” Before disappearing into his own dorm, Andrew gave Neil his mocking salute again. 

Why did he have to love Exy that much? 


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Night at Columbia ;)

Surprisingly enough, the ride to the stadium went in silence, but the quiet didn’t last for long. 

Neil pretended to sit in a far corner where he could pass unnoticed while having a full view of the whole team once they arrived. However, his plans changed when Andrew approached to his sitting spot. 

“I don’t like you.” The twin wasn’t deterred by Neil’s blank stare. “But we are a team. We won’t get far if you keep trespassing our room, so you will come out with us on Friday, and we will fix whatever is wrong with you.” 

“Yes!” Nicky said approaching too. “You will love Columbia. We know the best places and we have a place to keep the party going all night. You won’t have to worry about the hangover or anything. It’ll be fun!” 

“I don’t go out.” 

“Oh, this time you will!” Andrew said with a bright smile. “We will give you five days to meet the team, bond, and whatever. If you survive us, you can stay or you can start running as you like to do, _coniglio_.” 

“Stop calling me that.” 

“The running rabbit doesn’t want to be called for what he is. Or should I say broken rabbit? Interesting anyway. You are a conundrum I will solve on Friday. Don’t skip it or I will want to break you.” 

“You can’t do that.” 

Andrew stayed in silence for a moment, pretending he was thinking before the smile returned. “Of course, I can. Don’t tempt me more and don’t try to put a leash on me. It is me who will trap you.” 

Neil knew he wouldn’t get far in the team with Andrew harassing and threatening him all the time. He was very aware that if he wanted to keep things quiet during the time he’d stay, he would have to be the one who gave in first. That was part of being Neil Josten. Regardless, knowing that didn’t mean he trusted the midget. 

“If I go, you stay out of my things.” 

“So overprotective! But fine. Enjoy your days of freedom while they last.” 

The reply died in Neil’s tongue as the upperclassmen arrived, followed closely by Wymack, and Abby, who came out of her office just then. Only Seth and Allison were left to arrive. 

In the meantime, Dan, Matt, and Renee were friendly enough to Neil for him to realize that maybe not every Fox was as wretched as the news gave them fame, or as the cousins’ lot was. 

Unfortunately, his thoughts were proved wrong when a storm of wild anger and high fashion got inside the lounge. 

Allison Reynolds was every bit as spectacular as any description of her said, and even if Neil’s mother had made sure he never paid attention to girls, it was hard to avoid looking at her from head to toe when she was showing off her perfect body in a tight dress and high heels. 

As for Seth Gordon, Neil knew immediately he would be a constant problem and had the first taste of his attitude when Wymack presented their new assistant coach to the rest of the team. 

Seth was starting striker along with Kevin, and he wasn’t happy at all with the small addition from Millport. Neil didn’t care. He was there to do his best, not to be everyone’s favorite, so the main reunion started. 

The bombshell of the Raven’s transfer was taken as bad as it had been predicted, but Kevin was without a doubt the one who got the worse. Just like he had told Wymack weeks earlier, Andrew wasn’t pleased with the lie and looked close to smashing the striker into the nearest wall, but in the end, despite the spark of jealousy that their bond ignited in Neil, it was enough to get the attention away from his own lack of experience. 

When they were dismissed, the upperclassmen convinced Neil of riding back to Fox Tower together. 

His mother would certainly come back from hell to beat him into a puddle of bruises for bonding so fast, but Neil couldn’t pretend anymore he didn’t crave some kind of closeness with another human. He knew it wasn’t meant to last, and that he would be forgotten in a couple of months after he left for good. 

However, he wanted to try. And it felt...good. 

*** 

The first week of practice went by in a blur of fights and bad tempers. It turned out the Foxes were even worse than what the press told. 

Seth was insufferable, picking fights every time Kevin commented on his poor performance and tried to lash out at Neil with every given chance. Whenever that happened, Neil felt his face pulling into the deadly smile of his father, ready to put Seth back into place, but Neil Josten wasn’t a fighter. It took all in him to finish practices without fueling the other man’s arguments and staying quiet as he watched the scrimmages. 

Allison was indeed a good dealer, but she spent more time throwing insults at Seth whenever they weren’t making out on the sidelines than passing the ball to her teammates. 

Renee was quiet and took seriously her duty as goalkeeper, whereas Andrew put in as little effort as he could get away with. Regardless, both keepers liked to walk laps together; something no one approved for some reason Neil wasn’t willing to dig into. 

It was obvious that Aaron and Nicky were doing their best, but Seth didn’t lose his chance of harassing the older cousin, and fights would start over again until Matt came in between as the only force who could tear them apart. 

And while all of that developed, Dan shouted and gave orders with an unyielding fierceness that made clear why she had been chosen to captain that awful team. 

The only piece adrift was Neil. He couldn't find his place in the hierarchy yet, and he wasn’t willing to fit, if he was honest. He was in between Wymack and Dan’s authority, but he was the youngest, most inexperienced, and delegated to the sidelines. He wasn’t going to embarrass himself and make Seth lash out at him when he saw his poor performance as a fixed player, so he stood near his Coach, pointing out improvements each player could do, and seeing how only half of the team was willing to listen. 

By the time Friday came, Neil could only dream about his bed and the quiet of the upcoming weekend while he changed after their last practice of the week. He was so ready to rest and had forgotten completely about his night out with the cousins’ lot until he found Nicky in the locker room, holding a bag. 

“Hey! How was your first week?” He didn’t wait for an answer. “Here. For tonight. Andrew said you don’t have anything appropriate, and honestly, we’re all tired of looking at you dressed always like a homeless kid. So, there you go.” 

That was for sure the first time Neil received a gift. He was left without words. It wasn’t possible that his first present came from the little psycho. 

“Thank you?” He managed to mumble. 

“It’s alright. See you at nine.” Nicky smiled at him and motioned to get out before turning on his heels. “Oh, and Andrew asked for you to take the contacts off again. We already know you have stunning eyes. There’s no point in hiding them with us anymore.” 

And with that, the cousin left Neil alone with a bag that was getting heavier by the second as suspicions of what the night out was going to be about started to arise. 

*** 

Neil thought thoroughly of leaving that same night, but his feet were anchored to Palmetto. He wanted to keep his place, he still got too much to give, even outside of the court. He hadn’t watched the first match and that ever-burning jealousy for Kevin urged him to see how he accomplished his fate when Neil could only aspire to a life on the run for as long as he managed to survive. 

That was the main reason why he found himself sandwiched between the twins on the back of the car, watching as Andrew held to the handle of the door, leaning as far as he could while he was dry heaving on the grass following the emergency lane. 

The twin was going through withdrawal, and it wasn’t something pleasant to look forward to. Neil couldn’t tell which version of the midget he despised more. 

“Hurry,” Andrew said when he returned to his place and closed the door. 

“Just take them,” Kevin told him, offering an orange bottle from the passenger seat. 

“Get rid of that before I make you swallow the whole bottle.” The sigh of the striker was loud enough to cut through the music Nicky was blasting on the radio. No one spoke again. 

Eden’s Twilight was one of those buildings Neil had fought to avoid for the past eight years. It was too loud, full of people, and everyone was dressed to catch the attention. Including him. The tight shirt and the black jeans he was wearing felt too thin as he was ushered from the car and looks started to sweep him. He was sure every pair of curious eyes could see his collection of scars as clearly as anyone could see his limping, even if he had made sure they weren’t showing before leaving. 

Aaron shoved him from behind and forced him to the entrance. Inside was even worse with the music blasting everywhere, multicolored lights messing with his perception of the space, and a mass of bodies covering the exits from view. Neil was trapped. 

The group advanced until they found a free table and then Andrew motioned Neil towards a particular bartender. Drinks were served. Neil received a can of soda. They headed back with the rest. 

Nicky had found them again after getting behind to park the car. He swept Neil too. “Damn boy. In this light, you look even better. Someone hold me when I’m drunk.” 

“My knives will,” Andrew replied as he placed the tray full of drinks at the center. There wasn’t even a hint of his drugged cheer in his voice. 

“I know. Just kidding.” The older cousin lifted his hands in surrender. Neil could only guess how many times Nicky had ended with Andrew’s knives pointed to his ribs during the last weeks. 

Content with the answer, Andrew dropped then a handful of silver packets in the center. They disappeared within seconds along with the first round of drinks. 

“Don’t want some?” Nicky asked through the noise. His easy smile was back after the threat. “It’s cracker dust. Tastes like salt with sugar and gives a small ride up. You have nothing to fear.” 

Neil had everything to fear, but he wasn’t spilling the beans tonight. Or ever. “Drugs are stupid.” 

“Ouch,” Andrew said after downing his third drink. 

“What? Being forced into them doesn’t make them less stupid.” 

Instead of answering, Andrew picked up the tray now filled with empty glasses and headed back to the bar. When he came back, he handed a glass to Neil. 

“Told you I don’t drink.” 

“Only soda.” The twin said without sparing him a look. 

“C’mon Neil! A toast with us if you won’t dust.” 

Neil knew he had let his guard down as soon as his lips brushed the liquid. He should’ve known better than to trust this lot. He turned to look at Andrew. 

“So stupid for thinking you would have a choice tonight. I didn't bring you for that.” 

“I hate you,” Neil replied. There wasn’t any heat in his voice when all his strength was into forcing his legs to obey him. 

He had to get out of there and fast, but he couldn’t see the exits and the whole place was starting to spin around him. It wouldn’t be long before he lost control and he mustn’t uncover all his secrets at Andrew’s command. 

Neil mixed with the bodies on the dance floor and went straight for the biggest guy he could find. He tapped the shoulder of the gargantuan man and swung a shaking fist at him. The reply sent Neil straight to darkness. 

But not for long. 

*** 

“I’m starting to think you like being knocked out.” 

When Neil opened his eyes again, there was no remaining sign of the punch he received, no trace of the drugs in his system, and his legs didn’t hurt. 

He was sprawled in the same bed he had fallen asleep after his impossible scrimmage against Andrew and said twin was watching him from above. 

“Fuck you,” Neil answered, rushing to his feet. He knew very well by now where was the exit of that particular room, even if the midget blocked it. 

“Don’t even think about it,” Andrew said when he followed the direction of Neil’s eyes. “I have the talisman, remember? But no one’s told you what happens if you get stuck, right? I wonder if you are too stupid to ask, too afraid to know or if it’s only because you’re already aware.” 

“The fuck you’re saying.” 

“There’s something wrong about you. Too many secrets, too much insecurity. That need to keep running despite you can’t. The fortune you keep in that stalker journal. Your sick crush with Kevin. Makes a man wonder when do you plan to kill him and return his head to your king.” 

“What?” Neil’s thoughts took a moment longer to catch up on Andrew’s accusations. “I’m not a spy.” 

“Aren’t you? Then explain why a disabled nobody like you gets a spot in the Class I Exy team that happens to be the same one as the man you idolize in that binder. A man that happens to be wanted by Riko. Why an abused child would refuse the chance to travel by night to a place like this? It’s the chance of a lifetime and you turn it away every single time. It’s only because your alibi doesn’t work here, does it? People here will recognize you, and then your masterplan to get Kevin back to the Ravens goes to hell.” 

Despite not feeling the hit received in this body, Neil’s head was spinning faster by the second with Andrew’s crazy theories. He needed to give Andrew something to erase his false suspicions, but he had to be careful enough to avoid spilling too much of his own truths. 

Fortunately, they were interrupted when Wymack stormed into the room. 

“Minyard, why the fuck you brought him back if he doesn’t want to?” 

“I was fixing him in Columbia, and he tried to get away. You know I don’t trust him and I’m starting to learn why. Turns out he is a mule for Riko.” 

“You are a what?” Wymack went from seeing red to getting pale, back to seething. 

“I’m not!” 

“You keep saying that, but I hear no explanations.” 

Neil was cornered in an alien world far from his money, his contacts, his way out to start a new life. He had no alternative but to confess at least half of his truth. 

“My father is a criminal who may have business going with the Moriyamas, but I don’t know anything. I played with Kevin and Riko once, but then my mother took me away and I’ve been running from my father since then. I feared Kevin might recognize me when you went to Millport. That’s why I tried to go, but I’ve always been jealous of his fame and when he offered me a spot, I couldn’t walk away even if I must’ve.” 

“So, you knew about the Moriyamas before you came here?” Wymack asked while Andrew assessed his words. 

“No. When you told me was the first time I heard of them. Now that I know, I’ll leave before the match against Edgar Allen. Kevin didn’t recognize me, but nothing assures me Riko won’t either. I’m as good as dead if he or my father’s people find me.” 

“Was it so hard to say so since the beginning?” The twin asked. 

“I was raised to lie and escape.” 

Andrew got closer to Neil. He couldn’t tell what was churning inside the other man, but he wasn’t feeling as cautious as he had before. “That still doesn’t explain why you avoid this place. Your father can’t get to you here, and you are healthy here.” 

That could be or not true. The fact that Neil hadn’t heard of Talia before didn’t mean his father hadn’t either. When he left his childhood house, he was too young to understand much of the things his father would talk to his people, and he had learned very early to stay away from him. Now, he was taking a double risk staying around in both places, but perhaps it was really safe. The Moriyamas control in two worlds didn’t mean it was shared with a man who was only a neighbor and possible occasional partner. 

“I’ve learned to not trust anyone or anything. Especially if it seems too good. And it-it hurts the reminder that I can’t run anymore.” 

“Well kid, you certainly should start trusting now. This is real, this is good, and it’s all for you, waiting so you take it, even if it’s only for the nights.” 

Neil still wanted to find the catch in Wymack’s words. He couldn’t find anything in him or in the blank stare of Andrew. 

“Now that this is settled,” Wymack talked again when he saw Neil stood in place. “I have to warn you about getting stuck here. Every time you stravagate, your real body stays where you left it and a copy appears here. That’s why we don’t have shadows. If for any reason you lose your talisman or in this case, the person who brought you, you won’t have a way back. That means your real body there will die eventually and you will become from this world. Shadow and all.” 

“You could try to get back and die again, but every time a stravagante dies, strange things happen to the timelines, so better don’t mess up with that and just in case, you should start carrying your own talisman. You can’t trust these bunch to return you every time.” 

“So my body is still in that club?” Shock was rising through Neil as he imagined his unconscious body been peeked and stepped over by employees and dancers all the same until the place emptied and he was left alone. 

Wymack turned to look at Andrew. Judging by previous reactions of their teammates and the current silence of their coach, the twin and his lot maybe had done this before to others. 

“Not trusting you doesn’t mean we’ll leave you there. We took you to our house in Columbia. Everyone else is sleeping too and they will be there when you wake up.” 

Neil was about to ask further when Wymack cut him off “Questions to them or for another day unless it’s a matter of life and death. I come here to rest, not to keep watching your fights. Now shoo before you have to wake up.” 

With Wymack’s dismissal, Neil followed Andrew downstairs. Neil had indeed one last question burning to come out. “Are you telling Kevin?” 

The twin stopped in the middle of the stairs, making Neil be close to crash into him. “Don’t ask stupid questions.” 

Relief invaded Neil through the last steps down leading to the living room, where the rest were waiting for them. 

“Problems solved. Now the choice is yours. Leave or stay?” Andrew asked. 

If Mary could hear any of this, she would be beating Neil to death, but she wasn't. She hadn’t been for a year and Neil wanted so desperately to belong somewhere. To be able to stay. 

Even if his time at Palmetto and Neil Josten was ticking down, he could come back to Talia and be Abramo when he needed an escape. He had the chance to run again and play for real, regardless of being in a makeshift court. That was so much more than what he ever hoped. 

“I’m staying.” 

“He’s your problem now,” Andrew said to Kevin before being the first outside. 


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one is short, but HOLD ON, I just started the rewrite of The Raven King, and below's my version of Andrew and Neil in Talian clothes, aren't they lovely??? (just consider I'm a better writer than illustrator)
> 
> On a side note, the final chapters from TFC and the first one of TRK are 🧡🧡🧡  
> And just you wait for what I have in store... Enjoy the calm before the angst unleashes...

The lot headed out and walked in a direction Neil hadn’t gone before, towards the shore of the island. They kept walking along the rocky beach until they reached a rowboat. 

“Yes! We’re finally taking you to Bellezza!” 

“You don’t get seasick, do you? I’ve seen enough puke tonight.” Aaron asked Neil. 

Neil answered with a blank stare before joining the rest inside the rowboat. The twins took the back and started rowing them towards a bigger island that was without a doubt, an almost exact replica of what Venice may have looked like a few centuries ago. 

Neil had lived in sixteen different cities and visited another dozen in the past eight years, but not a single one was as surprising as the floating city displaying in front of him. The twins left the boat far from the main port and the _mandorlas-_ this world’s equivalent to Italian gondolas-so they had to walk through narrow streets before they reached the main piazza. 

“Here is the Piazza Maddalena, that is the Palazzo Ducale, and that is the Cathedral.” Nicky pointed to the buildings around. 

Neil took a step back. “Palazzo as in the Moriyamas Palazzo?” 

Kevin flinched behind before facing him, voice low even when the place appeared to be almost desert, except for a couple of peasants walking far from them. “Everything is theirs here. Careful with the questions you ask. And if you are referring to the palace where the Ravens train, then no. That one is in the outskirts. Pray you never step foot there.” 

“Thanks for scaring him.” Nicky cut the striker. “Don’t listen to Kevin. He’s paranoid. Bellezza was the last city to fall. There was a big battle and all, but there is not much here that they can profit from, so they barely pay attention to it. Now, I need gelato.” 

The group kept walking in silence until they got to a small place called _Di_ _Dolcezza_ _._ Neil, Kevin, and the twins took a seat in the far corner, while Nicky waited for their order to be served. 

It was strange eating from crystal bowls and silver spoons when Neil was used to disposable and plastic plates from his life on the run. He wasn’t much of sweets, but he found the ice cream too good to be true. Maybe it was only because Andrew had stopped being on his heels and Neil could finally relax. As much as someone like him was able to do, anyway. 

The rest of the day was spent among the narrow streets and walking through the stinky canals. Nicky was delighted to finally tell Neil everything he knew about Talia. 

He spoke about how every single woman in Bellezza and the islands used to wear masks because of a crazy Duchess who had an accident with a crystal mask during a Carnival until one of the last Duchesses before the Moriyamas took over fought nail and tooth to bring down that rule. He told that said Duchess had been married to one of the first Stravaganti of their world, and he talked in full detail about the battle that the Stravaganti had to fight against that other family, the di Chimici before they were overpowered by the Moriyamas. 

Then he jumped back to the Duchess and confess that Abby was her grand granddaughter. That’s how they got the house in Burlesca, but that wasn’t how Wymack started traveling. That one was a mystery the coach kept to himself. 

After Nicky went back to talk about Erik, his boyfriend back in Germany, and his future husband, and all the plans he had for the big double wedding he wanted to have. Fortunately, Aaron cut his romantic rambling, and the cousin elaborated on the differences between worlds. 

Turned out that besides the gap in their timelines, the most valuable metal in this world was silver, not gold. That was why all their talismans were made of it. Drains and plumbing weren’t invented yet for normal people. Kevin said it existed in the Palazzo, brought by the Moriyamas. They had a wide variety of alcoholic beverages, imported coffee, and chocolate, but tobacco, to Andrew’s disappointment, was still a luxury hard to obtain. 

By the time the group was on the rowboat ready to get back, Neil’s head was throbbing with so much information, but he had had the chance to see by himself that indeed, the city seemed unharmful. 

That didn’t mean he was eager to come back either, but it was a good place to become invisible when the time came. 

It was only a matter of time before his illusions of using this place only as an emergency getaway were smashed. 

*** 

The first thing Neil noticed, was that his feet were cold, even though he could feel a blanket draped over him. 

Dim light was filtering into the room and it made the ache in his head get worse. With the long day knowing Bellezza, he had managed to forget about his drugged and knocked body back in real life, and now that he was slipping slowly back into consciousness, there were painful reminders of his night out all over him. 

It took an extraordinary amount of effort for him to sit on the bed, and as soon as his head was straight, a wave of nausea crawled up his throat. He barely made it to the nearest door, hoping it led to a bathroom, and let his stomach empty on the toilet. The last time Neil had been so sick, he had been burying his mother’s remains on a beach, with both broken legs trapped in the splints that she had made for him before dying. 

He would’ve been mad at the lot all over again for drugging him, but he was too weak and sore for that. When he was sure that his gut wouldn’t rebel anymore, he glanced around to find a pile of new clothes folded over the side of the sink. He was still wearing the outfit gifted for the night out. 

With unsteady legs, he got to his feet and changed to the sweats and a shirt that fit him like gloves. Of course, they did. Andrew looked at his clothes when he went through his duffel bag. 

Avoiding his reflection, Neil splashed fresh water on his face to scrub the numbness and the remains of anger, and he put on new brown contacts before getting out of the room. 

It was his first time in the house of Columbia, so he had to follow the quiet murmurs to make his way down to the kitchen, where Nicky and Aaron were already up. Every step down without rolling through the stairs was a little triumph. 

“Hey, Neil! You survived!” Nicky said while he stood up and pour water into a glass offered to Neil. 

He was tempted to throw the glass and walk all the way back to Palmetto, but he was in no condition for anything more than falling into the nearest chair and sip the water given to him. Legs stretched before him, too sore to fold them. 

“Crackers dehydrate and stravagating tires. You should drink tons of water today, but you’ll be good as new in a few.” 

“Where’s Andrew?” 

“Went with Kevin to get breakfast.” 

Aaron left his mug alone and went to the kitchen. He threw a silver packet in Neil’s direction before sitting again. Neil was about to throw it back, thinking it was more of their fucking cracker dust, but no. It was a pair of aspirins. 

“Won’t erase the fist from your face but will help with the headache.” 

Neil was still weary around the twins and accepting things from them, although after talking with Andrew, they were less harsh. He mumbled a _thanks_ before swallowing the pills. 

Minutes after, Andrew and a hungover Kevin came back with breakfast. Once finished, all showered and piled back into the car to return to Palmetto. Andrew had his manic smile back, but he didn’t push or pull any string in Neil and offered to drive even though the blond man had dark shadows under his eyes. 

As soon as they hit the highway, the cousins and Kevin drifted off again. Neil tried to resist. He still didn’t trust them, but he was sore and tired, and regardless of his instincts screaming to never let his guard down, he couldn’t fight more the temptation of closing his eyes only for a second. 

When Neil woke up, Andrew was already parking outside of Fox Tower. Light had changed to late afternoon. 

It was hard again to move his limbs and get out of the car, but he wasn’t feeling as ill as he had in the morning. He walked with the group up to their floor. 

“There you are! Jesus Neil, where you’ve been?” Dan said getting close to him. Her tone was a mixture of true worry and anger. Her hands were patting his arms, looking for injuries. 

“Columbia,” Neil said. He was sure that the other places he had visited were out of the question. 

“Are you alright? Jeez. That looks bad.” Matt was glancing at his side, where Neil had been punched. He hadn’t looked at the bruise yet. “What the f-” 

“It’s fine.” Neil rushed to say before Matt slammed at the group. 

Andrew was looking at the backliner with a deadly smile on. “You know what we do in Columbia. Don’t step in!” 

“I’m going to-” 

“Said I’m fine,” Neil repeated, stepping between the two. 

For the little he had heard, Matt had had his own experience in Columbia, and it seemed less pleasant than what Neil lived. There was a reason behind the man offering before his help to get rid of the cousins if they became too unbearable for Neil, but he believed he had gotten them off his back for good, and all he needed now was a nap. 

Matt and Dan looked unconvinced, but they finally stepped away when Neil headed to his dorm, and the cousins went for theirs without another word. 

Neil didn’t turn to see if Matt or Dan went in after him. He climbed to his bed and got lost the moment his aching head hit the pillow. 

Lesson learned. He wouldn’t night travel ever again. 


	9. Chapter 9

Sunday went in peace. No one spoke again about Columbia, and Neil got to spend some quiet time with the upperclassmen hanging around, meeting them further and trying to find out if they also shared nightly adventures. 

The cousins’ lot didn’t speak to him again, and he didn’t even see them during the day, so when night rolled around and he settled with Matt and Seth to watch a movie, the last thing he expected was a knock on the door. 

Matt was the closest, so he got up to open. Neil was surprised to see that Kevin was at his door, alone. The striker seemed to be always followed closely by Andrew, but not this time. 

The moment Seth noticed his teammate, he stepped up to join Matt and make him go away. It was a waste of time for Neil to even try to go see what was going on, so he fixed his gaze on the movie before hearing an angry command that could only be directed at Neil “Il est temps de s'entraîner. On se retrouve de l'autre côté.” _Time to train. See you on the other side._

Neil felt his blood freezing. Kevin was expecting him to travel again, even after the drama on Friday night. 

Being at peace with Andrew didn’t mean Neil was ready to lose sleep meeting Kevin there, but his body hummed in anticipation for being able to run in spite of the poor conditions of their so-called court. Neil turned to look at the man on the door. 

“Get the fuck away before I rip that stupid tongue of yours.” Seth spat in response. 

Kevin ignored the comment and talked again to Neil “Ne me fait pas attendre.” _Don’t make me wait._

“Leave him alone,” Matt said before shoving the door on Kevin’s face. 

Both players returned to their spots with Seth fuming as always. Neil thought he was keeping a blank stare at the screen, but it was apparently failing because Matt spoke to him. “Whatever he said, don’t worry, we’ll keep him away from you.” 

“I can take care of myself,” Neil replied while getting on his feet. It had taken him only a few seconds to fall for his body’s betrayal. “I’m going to bed. See you tomorrow.” 

Something crossed over Matt’s eyes before nodding. Neil headed to his bedroom and took out the running fox pin from his safe. His heart was pounding, and his hands were sweating. He was going willingly for the first time to that place. Out of his love for Exy. 

He believed it would take him hours to fall asleep, but as soon as his mind was blank, he drifted off. 

*** 

The next time Neil opened his eyes, morning light was covering him. He thought for a moment that night was over, and Monday had caught on him, but the blue ceiling said he had arrived at his destination. It was strangely disappointing for some reason not finding Andrew’s presence nearby, but he didn’t dwell on it for long and got up. 

He was wondering if he’ll have to find his way to the barn on his own when he found Kevin waiting on the doorstep. 

“Told you to not keep me waiting.” The man didn’t expect an answer. He turned around, opened the door, and headed to the door. 

“Hello, Neil.” Abby greeted before he could join Kevin outside. “Remember you don’t have to put up with everything he asks, okay?” 

It was unsettling enough having traveled on his own to find Kevin wearing the ancient clothes. Neil couldn’t process yet meeting other people, even less seeing Abby with a corset, a fancy bun, and a long skirt, so he just nodded. 

“You are way behind us, and we already lost too much time,” Kevin said, ignoring Abby’s comment. 

“You were the one losing time. We’ve all been here since May.” 

“Andrew wouldn’t let me near you.” The striker didn’t elaborate and went outside, so Neil guessed that had been due to Andrew’s crazy suspicions that he was a mole send by Riko. It made sense that the twin had changed after the truths he peered from Neil on the weekend, when he told Kevin that Neil was his problem now. Whatever that meant. 

Neil moved to join the striker outside. He could barely hide his flinch when he saw Andrew leaning on the wall outside. 

The blond man spared a look for Neil to keep walking before moving himself. “What are you doing here?” 

“Looking after Kevin. You already knew that.” 

Indeed, Neil was aware of the promise Andrew made to Kevin to keep him safe from Riko. He hadn’t thought that their pact was also valid here though, but as he thought more, it must if the Moriyamas owned the place. Neil couldn’t help wondering if the tiny man would be really enough to keep Kevin safe in both worlds, but he couldn’t ask. The striker was already calling on him. 

“We’re meeting every day from Saturday to Thursday at ten. I won’t go fetch you again and if you don’t make it here on time, neither I nor Andrew will be waiting.” 

“Is it necessary to be here? Can’t we go to the stadium?” 

The striker stopped for a second to look at Neil as if he had said the most stupid thing possible. “To be the best, you have to rise from the worst. Once you get used to the darkness, heavier materials and no equipment, playing on a normal court will be easy as breathing. Also, exercising here will make you stronger there. In a few months, you should be able to run and play. And you gave me your game. You’ve got to trust I know what I’m doing.” 

The rest of the way went in silence. Neil was lost in the assurance of Kevin. His words hadn’t sounded like a hollow promise but a certainty of the striker. Neil was seeing every day how the man stepped on a court after his injury and played as his life depended on it. Nonetheless, a broken hand wasn’t as bad as two broken legs, and Neil wasn’t entirely sure he would be able to do it, although if there was even the slightest chance, he would give his all to do it. 

Nothing in this world would make him happier than stepping inside the Foxhole Court in full gear, with a racquet in his hands, and hearing the cheers from the crowd to the Foxes. Scoring a goal was too much, but as they kept walking, he dared to imagine the opposing goal lighting red because of him. The daydream was almost enough to put a genuine smile on his face. 

They reached the building near the coast and headed inside. Kevin walked straight to the corner where their makeshift equipment was stored, and Andrew went to sit on a wooden bench on the side without a single word. 

“Isn’t he playing?” 

“No,” Kevin answered while he handed Neil a couple of paddles and a bucket of balls. 

Neil wanted to keep asking. It was absurd throwing away the chance to play, even if it was in that awful place with wooden sticks and balls probably made of leather and entrails. However, Kevin got into business after he grabbed a pile of thick metal bars. 

The man went to the center of the building and arranged the bars in a line. He took the larger paddle from Neil’s arms and a ball from the bucket. 

“You will learn Raven drills. This is the first of six. No one on the team can return from the Palazzo to Evermore if they can’t execute them accurately. And then, they can’t play any of the games if they don’t master them on the court. We’ll do the same.” 

Again, Neil’s interjections were cut when Kevin kept explaining how the first drill worked. It was all about precision and strength. The bars were significantly heavier than the balls, so they had to be thrown at the right angle, with enough force to rebound on the wooden walls and then make each bar fall. The ultimate goal was to knock all bars in whatever order the other called, for what Kevin supplied an impressive demonstration with his left hand. 

It took only a moment for Neil to notice the striker had a strong hold and there were no traces of pain in his face. Just like it happened with Neil when he was in this world. Only then Neil realized that Kevin would be training left-handed to play with his dominant hand again. 

Without missing another beat, Neil started to work on the task. It was even harder than it seemed initially. He was clearly out of shape for running; his time in the gym was watched closely by Wymack, and he wasn’t allowed to step on the treadmill for long. Plus he had to add that not having a net on the end of the paddles only made it worse if he wanted to prevent the balls from escaping him. Neil was drenched in sweat after a couple of tries. 

Light was starting to change outside when Andrew got up from the bench and headed towards the door. 

“Time to go.” He said without waiting to see if the other two would hear him. 

Neil believed that Kevin would tell the goalie to wait longer because Neil still couldn’t knock more than three bars, but he stopped the practice and started to take everything back to place. Neil’s protests were dismissed with a reminder of his burned arms on his first practice here, and they all walked back to the white house. 

Kevin was first to climb up the stairs when they arrived. Neil followed, thinking Andrew was close behind, but he found the man still on the lower floor. “You’re not returning?” 

“Too early for me.” He replied before getting out again. 

Neil was confused by the statement but kept quiet. He was too sore to dive into his curiosity. So he went to the same room he had woken up and imagined the day he would be on a court, with those damned Raven drills mastered and his legs recovered. 

The picture was enough to make him forget about the splinters bleeding in his hands. 

*** 

Monday arrived in an annoying wave of beepings from Matt’s alarm. 

Neil wasn’t ready to wake up yet after last night’s excruciating practice, but he was decided to not let show his teammates any sign of weakness. Much less if that was meant to make him a better player sometime in the future. So he got up and joined the team for morning practice. 

He got the usual: Seth throwing shit at him, Kevin bitching over their poor performances, Allison half doing amazing and half picking fights with her striker, Nicky being harassed, Aaron trying his best, Matt being the best of them playing and setting fires down, Renee and Andrew parting from the rest whenever they could, and Dan making her very best along with occasional support from Neil to resume the practices and make the team behave like one. 

It was exhausting in every possible way. 

The cherry on top of Neil’s disgusting early morning was meeting with the team’s psychiatrist, Betsy Dobson. 

He had heard enough of the woman to know he didn’t need to meet her and he had tried his best to avoid the moment, but classes started the next day and it turned out he couldn’t begin if he hadn’t met the woman. What a shame. That was why he found himself riding on Andrew’s car along with Renee to the medical center of the campus. 

He had been a champion avoiding his teammate for the past weeks, and it wasn’t pleasing finding himself stuck beside her on the vehicle, but at least she wasn’t one for pushing small talk, so she drove in silence. Too bad for him that their designated shrink was an entirely different history. 

The woman looked too friendly and too smart at the same time. It wasn’t a good combo in Neil’s experience. He only wanted for his mandatory half-hour to be over so he could get back to court. 

They had already gone through introductions, small talk, questions about Neil’s family that he had answered with spoonfuls of lies he had made up for the Jostens since his arrival to Millport, and now the woman was trying to pry from him what he thought about his teammates. 

With that at least, he had been honest and told how he believed they were all insane. He would have thought better about that bit of sincerity if he’d knew the next question beforehand. 

“Do you feel threatened by them because of the double life some of them live?” 

Neil almost spilled the sip of coffee he was taking. “I don’t know what you mean.” He managed to reply with a blank face. 

“Their journeys to Talia of course. I’m not a stravagante myself, but Abby and David had filled me in and they also let me know which of you are allowed to go so I can extend my help further. I understand that you’ve been training there. How do you feel about it? Are you playing the first match?” 

Neil let slip most of the question in favor of talking about Exy. That was something he could do without forcing lies, compromising his truths, or diving into the nonsense that some part of him was still trying to deny, even if his palms still felt raw when he touched them despite being intact. “I can’t wait to see the Foxhole Court filled for the first time. It must be like a dream.” 

“It will be indeed, considering this match will be also your debut. Your name will be finally revealed shortly after the announcement of the Ravens change of district. This season is going to be a good one for sure.” 

“I hope so.” Neil was surprised when he realized his answer had been true. 

The remaining time was spent with minor talk and Neil’s effort to drive Dobson away from making him talk about Bellezza or his position as an assistant coach. She insisted that she only knew the place from what Abby had told her because they had been friends since school, but Neil wasn’t ready to talk about it or his undeserved spot in the team yet. Much less with her, so he changed the topic over and over until his time was up, and he left in a rush and a false promise of trusting her sometime in the future to talk openly. He didn’t feel so bad now that he wasn’t going to last long around. 

“It wasn’t that bad, was it?” Renee asked as soon as she spotted Neil coming out from the shrink’s office. “Andrew was so sure you were going to hate her he put money on it.” 

Neil was well aware of the Foxes’ bets, yet he was struck by surprise knowing Andrew took part, more so with someone like Renee. 

“I don’t understand how you two get along. You should be hating each other.” When he realized he was talking, it was too late to take it back. 

“Appearances can be deceiving, Neil. Religion keeps me on the right path, but we can still understand each other.” She replied with her polite smile. 

He wanted to ask if that understanding came from their pasts or their presents. Even if he hadn’t seen Renee on Burlesca, it didn’t mean it was because she hadn’t traveled. The questions were burning on his tongue, but he let them drop in favor of the silence. 

Talking so much with Betsy was harder than he thought and if it wasn’t necessary to bring up the parallel world again, he wasn’t going to do it. And even if it was, he had no clue how to do it without sounding delusional in case Renee wasn’t aware. 

Neil and Renee had been the last pair to meet the psychiatrist and their return marked lunch break. Afterward, they were gathered in the lounge for a brief update on the change of practice schedules for the start of the semester, the preventive measures taken regarding the expected fallout when the Ravens’ transfer was announced, give the heads up about the presence of reinforced security on campus because of their move, and drop the last bitter surprise that Neil had to bear that day. 

If he had only fallen asleep on the couch to skip it as Andrew had. 

“It’s in our contracts to do publicity but it’s not part of the burden talking with stalkers on campus.” Wymack was saying. “If any reporter finds their way to you, tell them the answers will be revealed on Saturday with Kathy. Got it?” 

“Wait, by Kathy you mean Kathy Ferdinand?” Matt asked instead. 

“The very same. You didn’t tell them?” Their Coach inquired to Kevin. 

“There wasn’t need to.” 

Wymack released a heavy sigh before elaborating. “She agreed to wait after our first game and offered front row seats for the whole team if you want to tag along. Kevin is the only one appearing, but since I have to take the bus for his trope to follow, the rest of you can come.” 

Half of the team started making plans or inquiring Kevin about the last time he’d had a public appearance. However, Neil’s mind was drifting off to his bed. If he was going to be attending classes, practices, night training in hell, and having his first match all in the same week, he could use that time to sleep like a corpse instead of watching Kevin pulling out his facade in front of the cameras. He had watched an endless number of videos to know how it was going to be like. 

He would be able to re-watch the program later, and depending on how things went, he would even see firsthand the consequences. There was a reason behind having the police on the school after all. Besides, he couldn’t risk having his face showing on TV even as part of the audience. Neither his father’s people nor the man himself wasn’t into sports, but he couldn’t risk it like that. 

“Neil? I’ll be buying breakfast, you coming?” Dan asked. Neil had lost all of their talk. 

“Not going,” Neil stated. 

“You are. You won’t be leaving my sight once your name is revealed.” Wymack told him. 

“I can handle myself.” 

“Good. Handle yourself on the way to the show. Your only concern is to make these scumbags useful. The rest is my problem and Abby’s now. Questions? No? Well then, get out of my face and enjoy your last day before classes start. And whoever wakes Andrew up, make sure he doesn’t destroy my lounge.” 

Nicky was the unfortunate to receive an elbow to his stomach. Neil didn’t know why he stood around to see the lack of sympathy crowned with a smile when Andrew noticed his cousin doubling over. 

Maybe it was because he didn’t believe it, or maybe it was because he was trying to convince himself still that the boring version he had seen of the same man the night before was a dream even if the exhaustion crawling through him wasn’t. 

Neil vanished from the lounge before he was caught staring. 


	10. Chapter 10

On Tuesday, Neil decided he’d had enough bench time for the rest of his life. 

There must be a way to accelerate Kevin’s perspectives, so he waited until all his teammates scattered to their classes, to head into Abby’s office in an impulsive rush before he lost his nerve. 

“Hey Neil, don’t you have classes?” He shook his head. His tongue had become a tangle inside his mouth. He should’ve gone back to Fox Tower. 

“Come in. Tell me what’s bothering you.” The woman gave Neil a polite smile and left on the desk the papers she was looking at. 

Neil stepped into the office and balled his fists in an attempt to make them stop shaking so hard. Unlike Betsy, Abby wasn’t asking him to talk, and he appreciated her a bit more for that. He took a deep breath and let the question out in a shameful whisper. 

“Will I run again?” The look in the team nurse softened too much. Neil kept talking with a higher volume. He wasn’t there for pity. “Kevin says that if I train in Burlesca I will, but I want to practice here too.” 

Abby kept looking at him with that motherly gaze, assessing her words. “To give you an honest answer I have to check on you. And ask questions. Will you be okay with that?” She had stood up and closed the door behind her. They were facing each other. 

The lies in Neil were ready to be spilled. They wouldn’t be any easier to blurt than the truth, but maybe Abby’s reaction wouldn't be as bad. He nodded and talked. “Drunk driver lost control and pinned me against a wall. Do I need to take off my pants?” 

It was obvious that Abby was trying her best to keep it together. If she started crying, Neil would leave. After a minute, the nurse finally swallowed. “It would be best, but I’ll need to touch you. Leave them on if you feel uncomfortable.” 

Neil took her word and climbed into the bed. He only took off his sneakers and lay down on his back. He flinched against his will when tender fingers grabbed his ankles and tried to relax as they worked their way up to his calves, knees, thighs, and hips. He had never been touched with gentleness before. 

When his mother was patching him up, her hands were methodical and rude. Always speeding to keep running from her husband. Even after their last encounter when Mary was bleeding to death, she hadn’t spared a second to be kind with her broken son. Neil barely noticed when Abby finished inspecting him. He sat up with a bit of effort. 

“X-rays would be more accurate, but I’m guessing I won’t find a way to convince you of getting them.” Neil dismissed the idea with a fast denial. “I can tell that almost everything feels as it should. I’m concerned about certain places and the way you move, but I’m inclined to think that is because you didn’t stay put or get therapy after, am I right?” 

Neil lowered his gaze. If Abby knew his legs had healed between wooden sticks and walked on a deserted beach while they were still broken, she was going to cry for sure. He settled for another nod. 

“Do you have any free periods?” 

“I don’t have classes on Tuesdays and Thursdays.” 

“Okay. I’ll talk with David. You’ll stay here after practice those days and maybe some weekends to work with me and get you on court little by little without Kevin pushing you. How does that sound?” 

Neil didn’t know his face could pull into a smile that wasn’t the Butcher’s grin until Abby stroked her thumb in his cheek. 

“We’ll make sure you play again, Neil.” 

*** 

The rest of the week was every bit as exhausting as Neil had feared, and then some. 

He had picked random classes only to fill the requirement, believing those were the easiest ones, but by the time Friday arrived, he had a ginormous pile of homework waiting on his desk. Said pile was very well ignored some days in favor of staying with Abby after practices whenever he could. And he was making tiny improvements. Kevin's crazy night practices were showing off results faster than Neil could’ve thought. 

Nevertheless, school chores and clandestine practices were the least of his concerns today. 

With the first game of the season scheduled for that day, his name had been revealed the previous night, and so his face was everywhere. Eight years of bending, melting, and being unnoticed were dumped when the ERC finally released the name of the newest addition to the Foxes. 

To add some more pressure, apparently, Andrew hadn’t lied. Almost every article and piece of news said a similar version of the twin’s words. Apparently, Kevin really believed that Neil would eventually be able to play, make it to a pro team, and with some more work, he’ll even be able to make it to US Court. It was just too much. 

As if things weren’t bad enough, it was required that the team wore their shirts to classes when the Fall season kicked off, so he had no way to hide covered in searing orange with his name on the back. He had tried appealing to Coach that he wasn’t even a player yet, but the man had insisted he would be by Spring championships according to Kevin, so now Neil was the personification of a human orange highlighter walking around campus. 

At least, the other Foxes knew what was to come, and they had taken turns to escort Neil from class to class during the day until he ended having lunch with Allison and Seth. 

Neil was ready to get away from them even if that meant facing the inquires of his curious classmates, but surprisingly, the couple was having one of their good days, so they talked to each other and left Neil to his own most part of the hour until Nicky joined them at some point and the talk had to make a detour towards Neil. 

“You could ask Aaron to find you a Vixen, you know.” Neil only noticed he was the one addressed until a piece of lettuce was pointed at him. 

“For what?” 

“The Fall banquet. Has no one told you? We’re all allowed a plus one. You should start looking for it. Maybe you can help Aaron man up and ask his cheerleader out finally.” 

“Yes! I can help you!” Nicky jumped. 

“I don’t date.” 

“Oh, don’t give me that bullshit now. Even the mini menace has a date.” 

“Renee? 

“Who else? She’s the only one good enough to put off with him for a whole night.” 

“Are they a thing then?” Seth almost choked on his food. Apparently, even though most of the team was sure they would end together eventually if they weren’t already, no one was happy with the idea. 

“They may be. Last time I asked, my throat was almost slashed.” Nicky said. 

“Renee says they won’t ever be,” Allison replied to the cousin before turning back to Neil. “But you are still the only one left without someone to go. Think about it. A Vixen won’t be a bad idea, there must be a short one available.” 

Neil scoffed at the idea. He wasn’t up for dates or making out with a cheerleader. 

“Or you can admit now that you swing my way and skip all of us the trouble to keep guessing.” 

“Oh, for fuck’s sake. Don’t start with your faggot bullshit.” 

“I don’t date, and I don’t swing,” Neil stated before Seth started a fight no one would be able to stop. 

His only reason to stay was Exy and his time near a court was already feeling too short knowing that the match against the Ravens was scheduled on October 13. He would be long gone by then. Much before said banquet was held. It was pointless asking someone out for no reason. 

“If you change your mind, I can always dump the guy I found and go with you instead. Erik will never believe if I’m the one who makes you come out.” Nicky said with a cheeky grin before leaving. 

Neil was so relieved to let the talk die, and it was Seth’s turn to walk him to his next class, so the whole dating thing got forgotten. Once his last lecture finished, Neil ended dragged by Dan back to the dining hall. He wasn’t hungry at all. And he wasn’t even playing. 

The match against Breckenridge was starting in just a couple of hours. Neil couldn’t understand how the upperclassmen were able to stuff themselves with dinner and chatter like it was just another Friday evening. 

It would be his first match, the Foxes were still a chaotic mess bound to lose and Neil wouldn’t be able to step foot on Court even if he could, but the excitement was all over him regardless of everything. If he closed his eyes, he could imagine with perfect clarity the roar of the fans, the sounds of the balls rebounding, the smell of the food sold around, and the replays on the screens above the inner court. He couldn’t wait any longer to be there. 

“Is he going to be a problem for you?” Dan was asking Neil something he hadn’t caught because of his daydreaming. He opted for the safest answer since this would also be Kevin’s first match after his hand was broken. 

“He’s been playing righthanded since May, I don’t see why that would bother me.” 

“Not Kevin.” Matt said. “Andrew.” 

“What with him?” 

“He has a deal with Coach and gets off his meds to play.” 

Neil didn’t know why their teammates were asking him that. It wasn’t his problem at all. And he was used to seeing Andrew out of the medication every night when he just sat at the farthest bench while Kevin kicked Neil’s ass on the makeshift court. But the rest of the Foxes couldn’t know that. 

“If that doesn’t affect the game, I don’t care.” 

“Better be. Whatever’s going with the two of you had us worried.” 

“I’m fine,” Neil replied without even thinking about it. What Andrew did or not was nothing compared to the nerves churning in his stomach for the next hours until serve time. 

Every insult endured during the past weeks, all the sweat dropped in the wooden court, the splinters he couldn’t feel anymore, Kevin’s disapproval, and the insanity of the Foxes melted the moment Neil stepped inside the Court minutes before the first serve. 

Waves of orange filled most of the grades. The team was ready in full gear. Breckenridge Jackals arrived. Their roster was received. Neil gathered with Wymack and Kevin to sharpen last-minute strategies and the match started. 

It was brutal. It was fast. It was fierce. 

Neil’s blood bubbled with excitement with every rebound, every squirm of shoes, every shout, and every foul. He was a million years behind to earn his spot, but seeing how the Foxes could let all their differences vanish in favor of becoming a team, made him realize he was willing to do anything in his power to step foot inside of a court at least one more time. 

After forty-five minutes of effort and adrenaline, the Foxes finally lost, but they had given one of the best games Neil could remember from old videos, and the team knew it because they headed straight to the basement of Fox Tower to have an aftergame party. 

The cousins’ lot parted ways with them as plans were made, but Neil couldn't resist going with Kevin before joining the others. 

“Are you sure I’ll play someday?” Neil half-whispered his question in case someone was listening. He was sure that Kevin will dismiss him with one of his pretentious gazes or offensive comment, but the striker turned back to Neil. 

“If you keep training like you have and start making a real effort here, you will by Spring.” 

Neil watched the men go to their dorm as something came to life inside his chest. It was a feeling buried so deep inside from years of fear and violence that he could barely put a name on it. 

Neil was feeling hope. 


	11. Chapter 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mouthy Neil on live TV is heeeeeeerrrrreeeee!!!!!

A cacophony of alarms blearing brought Neil crashing back to life. 

The afterparty seemed like a good idea hours ago, when the Foxes knew they had given a good fight, and Neil was buzzing with anticipation for the day he would finally play a match, but at one in the morning with not even an hour of sleep, Neil was thinking that maybe he would kill Kevin before learning how to play. 

Seth grumbled in his bed to get Neil and Matt silencing their clocks and letting him sleep. Allison and the striker were the only ones staying behind from Kathy’s show. 

The first thing that Neil noticed when he climbed down from the bunk bed, was that his legs didn’t hurt when he landed, and there was only a hint of stiffness behind his steps, but he didn’t need to think constantly about putting a foot in front of the other. 

He took it as a good sign and got ready without so much hatred towards Kevin and Wymack. 

Once every Fox was on the bus, it didn’t take long for them to fall asleep until Coach stopped for breakfast, but as soon as they finished, almost everyone crashed again. 

“Are you retarded Hemmick?” Wymack’s shout made Neil jump out of his skin. “Why in hell are they still sleeping?” 

Nicky’s eyes were wide with fear. Neil had to rub his face several times to get rid of the slumber and see what was going on. Kevin was snoring on his seat, and Andrew looked pretty much dead on the row behind. Neil could only wonder if the man looked like that because he was in Burlesca. 

“Can’t die without meeting Kathy.” 

Wymack gave a heavy sigh and took out his wallet. He threw it in such an angle that it hit first Kevin’s head and rebounded into Andrew’s chest. The violent startle with which the blond woke up granted a hit to Kevin’s seat, but the striker barely shook. 

“Give it back. Take your pills, and get that useless scumbag up and shining in five.” 

Andrew threw the wallet back and stood beside Kevin. Neil was curious how Andrew was going to wake the man up when two hits hadn’t made the job. The glint of a knife gave the answer. 

Kevin flinched after noticing the sharp blade pressing harder on his side. Andrew had his other palm extended. Neil didn’t understand what was that about until the striker let an orange bottle drop into his palm. Andrew took the pills and returned the bottle back to Kevin. 

Between Wymack and Andrew, they managed to make Kevin look as awake as he could be until they reached the studio where Kathy Ferdinand’s show was held. The woman herself was ready to welcome the team. 

Neil had a binder fool of proofs of Kevin’s public face and his arrogant smile back in the dorm. He knew as well as any other Fox about his façade, but it was impressive seeing the striker morph from a grumpy sleepy player into his better yet fake self. 

There was no hint of the sleepless night in his eyes when he greeted Kathy, and both were all shiny teeth and bright laughter. 

“And what we got here? Your newest finding. Are you nervous about your first appearance on live TV and online streaming, Neil?” 

Neil didn’t know how he had come to be on the rear of the team to stay standing face to face with Kathy and Kevin. 

“What?” 

“Oh, Kevin! I spoiled the surprise for you. Guess you didn’t want to get him nervous.” Kathy said with a hundred-watt smile fixed on her face. She turned to Neil. “Sorry to break the news. I guessed you already knew. But don’t worry, the questions are written and we already saw your face yesterday while you guided your team to one of the best matches they had. There’s nothing to fear.” 

All the excitement from the previous night washed away when Neil realized what Kevin had gotten him into. Neil couldn’t, shouldn’t, wouldn’t show his face more than necessary. He was bending enough by traveling to Talia. At least he was starting to feel the benefits from that, but appearing on a live streaming? He could as well begin to dig his early grave. 

“C'est quoi ce bordel?” _What the fuck?_

“Je t'ai demandé de me faire confiance. Fais le maintenant.” _I asked you to trust me. Do it now._ Neil could feel the confusion of his teammates behind. Only Andrew and his group knew that Neil could speak French. He didn’t want anybody to know, but he had bigger concerns at hand. 

“Je ne peux pas.” _I can’t._

Kevin extended his hand to Neil. “Rendez ensuite vos clés du stade et votre talisman.” _Then give back your keys to the stadium and your talisman._

Considering Neil had grown up between beatings and knives marring his skin, nothing had hurt him so much as Kevin’s words did. He would rather have his legs smashed again than giving up on his chance to play Exy. The striker knew very well how much this meant to Neil, and he was ready to take it away just like that. 

“Fine.” Neil gave in despite putting a faster count back into his stay. 

“Perfect! I knew you would understand.” Kathy said. “Now follow me. We’re about to start.” 

Neil intended to keep going as if nothing had happened, but Matt was fast to approach. “You speak French? How many more languages do you know?” 

“Enough,” Neil said before parting ways to the dressing room. 

Measures were taken, clothes were sent. Kevin changed in silence while Neil stared at the fancy pants and shirt in his arms. 

“What? Don’t tell me you need help to get dressed.” 

“Fuck off.” 

“Get moving then. We don’t have all day.” 

Neil was sure that Kevin would keep looking at him, but the striker turned his back to give Neil some privacy at the last moment. 

Shortly after Neil was ready, a woman was brushing face powder on him, and then, he was ready to be in front of a camera. 

Kevin was the first to go. He was again all smiles and good manners with Kathy. They chit-chatted about his absence, his return, his first game, and his move to play right-handed before a floor assistant came looking for Neil to get him on stage. His legs turned to jelly as he walked the few steps to join the people in front of the cameras. 

His whole team was sitting in the first row as promised. Dan and Matt cheered when Neil stepped into the set. Kathy’s delight was almost palpable. He was motioned to seat beside Kevin. He hadn’t taken his place yet when a cup of steaming coffee was placed on the table by the side, and the host started to talk. 

“Neil Josten, from Millport, Arizona everybody!” There was a short round of cheers and applauses started by some Foxes. “Forgive my manners, but I’ll go straight to the point. How someone who can’t even play catches the eye of our very one Kevin Day to replace him as an assistant coach?” 

Of the five different answers popping into his mind, no one was polite enough for a live show. And certainly not in tune with who Neil Josten was supposed to be. 

Kevin was looking at him intently. After an endless minute in silence, the striker pulled his best face and talked to Kathy in Neil’s stead. “We were looking for a striker initially, but I saw a video of him helping Coach Hernandez and I decided that I could go back to the game, and get him on board to join me on the court after some rehab and training. If I could, he can too.” 

“So, you saw in him your new Riko?” 

Neil felt Kevin tensing beside him, but his smile stood on site. “Not really. Like I said, our relationship was different. The only thing I want from Neil is for him to fulfill his dream of playing. Nothing more and nothing less.” 

“Wonderful. Such a good heart inside of you.” Kathy said, hand in her chest. “Now I wonder what Riko would say about that. I bet he’s got a strong opinion of you two.” Kevin’s reply was killed by the host. “Fortunately, we don’t have to speculate. Give a warm welcome to Riko Moriyama!” 

There was no need for Neil to turn towards Kevin. He could feel how he went limb by his side. Back in the audience, Wymack, Matt and Renee were trying their best to stop Andrew from stepping into the set without making a scene. 

With his 5 foot and 3, Neil should’ve been the last one to have a say on the matter, but the first thing he noticed, was how short Riko was in real life. It was hard to believe that it had been that same man the one who supposedly had killed Kevin back in Bellezza, and it was even harder to wrap his head around the idea that the arrogant Kevin Day was trembling beside him as Riko approached his former number two. 

“Brother.” Riko had a hand-stretched towards Kevin. Neil saw there was no shadow around the player, just like with Andrew. For a moment, he wondered how no one noticed, but then again, he had been fooled all the time, until he noticed during his first travel. 

When the striker took the offered hand, Riko pulled Kevin in a tight embrace. The public cheered and cried, but neither the Foxes nor Neil were fooled. That hug was a war cry, and Kevin was trying to stay afloat. 

Kathy waited until Riko sat on the couch on the other side from her desk to talk again. “Beautiful. If someone had told me last December that the prodigy brothers would part ways, I wouldn’t have fallen for it. Now, if I was told that they would reunite like this, with Kevin’s past and future in the same room, I’d certainly had claimed they were delusional. But here we are!” 

Kevin hid a clenched fist between his and Neil’s leg when he sat. Kathy kept talking. “I won’t go over the skiing accident again. We all know that. What I want is for you to tell me the aftermath. How best friends, brothers, heirs of Exy grow distant and end in separate teams after so much? How an injury terminates such a strong bond?” 

Riko was the first to speak. “You have to understand that not only Kevin’s hand was shattered. Our hearts were. We lost our second best and we weren’t having him back. It was a low blow for all of us.” 

“And yet, he played last night, Riko. Are you having him back now that Kevin proved himself? Kevin, are you going back now that you showed how an amazing player you are with any hand?” 

“Like my hand, some broken things cannot be as they once were.” 

There was a collective moan in the crowd, except for the Foxes, who were trying their best to keep Andrew at bay. 

“You must be talking about our hearts now, Kevin. We were all waiting for you to be the perfect duo again.” 

“I’m afraid that won’t be happening,” Riko said this time. “We appreciate Kevin, but he knows there is no place for him within our lines, although he is aware that as a coach, we will always welcome him with open arms.” 

“Was that why you changed districts? To show him what he can have back?” 

“In some way. But remember that Edgar Allan was meant to be on the Southern district since the Class I Exy teams were sectioned. We are just returning to our place.” 

“Wow. Kevin, you are in a disjunctive now. What are you doing? Going back home with the Ravens as a coach? Or keep pursuing your dreams of playing along with the Foxes?” 

Silence stretched for seconds. Neil felt the slight tremble of Kevin. His easy smile was long gone when he answered. “I am a Fox now.” 

The only sound was a half cheer from Dan. Everyone in the audience went utterly quiet with Kevin’s answer. 

“I see.” Riko broke the silence after minutes when not even Kathy could find her voice. “You are giving up on your family for a charity case. What a waste of time and talent.” 

Neil had had enough. It was time for someone to shut Riko. 

“You know? It’s kinda surprising finding out that your ego is way bigger than your talent. If you were Kevin’s brother as you claimed, you should be encouraging him to get back to court, instead of telling him to settle on the sidelines.” By the time Neil realized that the words slashing at Riko were his, it was too late to step back. 

“Oh,” Kathy was now struggling with the turn in her program. “We hadn’t forgotten you back there Neil, and you made a good point. Riko, why forcing Kevin to choose between you or the court when he could have both?” 

“I can answer for him. Because Riko knows now that his ‘perfect court’ was a lie. Kevin is a way better player than he can ever aspire to be, hidden behind his team’s fame and changing districts whenever he sees fit.” 

Riko managed to pull a polite smile in his face as he replied, but his eyes were filled with the promise of slow murder. “It’s easy for a nobody to talk when they don’t know the other side of the story. The perfect court is as real as the blood in my veins and in case you haven’t noticed, silly child, the Ravens can outplay any team on any district. Playing in the North or the South doesn’t take away that we are the best team and you, I am afraid, belong to the worst.” 

“But is like Kevin told me. To be the best, you need to rise from the worst. That’s what he’s been doing since he got here, what he is working with the team and what I am doing to make the Foxes the best team.” 

“Wait a minute,” Kathy cut in the fight without missing a beat. “Are you implying that we will see you play sometime?” 

Kevin was pinching the side of Neil’s leg in warning, but Riko talked first. “Kathy, come on! Don’t feed his delusions. Clearly, Kevin was too desperate to find a new equal on the court and he went beyond that to feel he had any hopes of returning to his old self. But let me tell you brother, sharing court with a handicap doesn’t make you more able. And even if that was the case, you’ll never shine among the Foxes. Either of you.” 

Anger was boiling all over Neil. He was so tempted to stand up and give Riko a powerful punch that would bruise in his real body too. The pinch in his legs from Kevin’s tight grip was harder and shakier when Neil answered. “Pray I’m never able to play and the Foxes don’t unite, because when we do it, the Ravens will be crushed and you’ll be drowning in your own lies.” When he finished, the cold smile of his father was masking Neil’s rage. 

“Well, this was certainly unexpected and our time ran up, but be sure of one thing everyone: This College Exy season is going to be on fire. Remember, Palmetto State Foxes will face Edgar Allan Ravens on October 13th. Don’t you dare miss it! And now, we’re up to a pause. Stay tuned to welcome our musical guests of the morning.” 

The moment the blinking light of the cameras turned off, Neil stood up and hauled Kevin to get up as well. He wanted to vanish from the place right now, but Kathy caught on them. There was no sign of Riko around. 

“Guys, thank you so much for giving me the highlight of the week. It was an amazing program, and I can’t wait to see the match. You can get to your seats now to watch the rest of the show.” She flashed a bright smile that Kevin couldn’t mimic this time. Neil ushered the striker to grab their clothes and get down from the stage and join their team. 

They were walking along the aisles that would let them out, after retrieving their clothes from the dressing room, when a pair of hands grabbed Neil by the shoulders and smashed him into the nearest wall. “No one ever taught you to respect your superiors?” Riko spat at him. His voice was raw with anger and his eyes were set with the same determination of the Butcher before a beating. It took everything on Neil to keep his tone even. 

“Not really. And I have this attitude problem I can’t get rid of, you know?” His father’s smile was back. 

Riko pressed Neil a bit more against the wall when a string of another language that could only be Japanese blurted from Kevin. Whatever was said made the striker release his hold on Neil and turn to face Kevin. Riko was about to reply when an excited voice cut him from behind Neil. 

“Game over! Release him and chop chop,” Andrew said while clapping his hands at Riko. 

“Vedo che porti ancora fuori il tuo cane da guardia, Kevin. Vuoi morire due volte, cane?” _I see you still take out your guard dog. Do you want to die twice, dog?_ Riko swapped languages without effort. 

Andrew stood between Neil and Riko apparently relaxed, but Neil could see how the man’s shoulders were tensing beneath his sweatshirt. “L'unico a morire qui sarai tu se non chiudi quella cazzo di bocca e smetti di toccare le mie cose.” _The only one dying here will be you if you don't shut the fuck up and stop touching my things._

“Bene,” Riko said lifting his arms in fake surrender. “Ti do questo giro. But I’m coming for you, cripple.” 

Neil wanted to stay and fight, but he couldn’t show he had understood half of the fight, so he grabbed Kevin and dragged him back to the team. Andrew joined them after making sure Riko wasn’t following. 

It was unnecessary to say that they weren’t staying for the rest of the show. They got out from the studio in silence. Neil could see Kevin was clinging to Abby. Wymack was the first to talk when they were safely piled into the bus. “If I knew you had such a mouth on you, I would’ve let you behind.” 

“Told you,” Neil replied. There was no point trying to defend himself now. 

“Coach, give him some credit. It takes balls to face Riko like that.” 

“We all thought you were the quiet type,” Dan added. 

“If he was quiet, Andrew wouldn’t have taken him to Columbia,” Renee said before Neil could reply. 

Dan and Matt were ready to keep arguing, but Wymack cut them. “Shut your mouth before I sign all of you into the next Ironman.” 

The way back passed by in silence. The upperclassmen tried talking to Neil a few times, but he was too lost in his own head to pay them any attention. Abby traveled by Kevin’s side and took him with her after they arrived at Fox Tower. 

The rest of the Foxes climbed the stairs together to their floor without another word. Neil was ready to disappear into his dorm, take his duffel bag, and get away as fast as he was able. He didn’t want to go so soon, and he was really hoping for a chance of playing Exy again, but his encounter with Riko blew every dream he could’ve built in his months at Palmetto. 

Maybe when he got settled again, he’ll be able to stravagate and explain himself to Kevin. And Andrew. No one would take his truths with grace. Alas, it was better having them both seething over his lies than death because he couldn’t keep his mouth shut. 

First, Neil was going to change back into his clothes, and then, he was packing to leave. He was a few steps away from following Matt into their dorm when a strong hand pulled him back from the collar of his shirt and made Neil detour from his destination. 

“We’re having a talk,” Andrew said to his ear as he hauled Neil into the cousins’ dorm. 

The grip on Neil’s shirt only loosened when Andrew slammed the door of his bedroom behind him. Although he didn’t let go of Neil. Only adjusted his hand to be grabbing the back of Neil’s neck. 

“Someone here is an idiot. And it better won’t be me. I don’t like it. But I don’t like to be lied to either.” Andrew wasn’t smiling anymore. He was more like the man Neil was used to seeing during night practices. However, that didn’t make him any less dangerous. 

“I didn’t lie.” 

Andrew released Neil and punched a hole in the nearest dresser. “The fuck you didn’t.” 

“Riko will be coming after me. And my father’s people would be close behind. I should get away now.” Neil couldn’t take his eyes away from Andrew’s bleeding heart as he spoke. 

“Then why go and open your mouth? Do you have a death wish or are you only too stupid to realize you were putting a target on your back?” 

“I never stopped having one.” 

“But you could.” Andrew grabbed Neil’s neck again. “See, I don’t like your lies, but you have Kevin’s attention. Keep it, and I’ll keep you safe.” 

A laugh almost escaped from Neil’s mouth before he could stop it. “You can’t do that. Maybe you can deal with Riko for a while, but you can’t stop my father’s people from killing me.” 

“I can. For a year.” Andrew tightened the grip on Neil’s neck. “During the next twelve months, I’ll have your back in both worlds. I’ll stand between you and anyone who pretends to hurt you. After that year, you’re on your own again. You only need to keep Kevin’s interest. And stop lying, because I hate that almost as much as I hate you.” 

Neil fixed his gaze on Andrew’s for a minute before answering. “What’s in protecting me for you? You don’t gain anything.” 

“I want nothing. I promised to keep Kevin safe from Riko and I stick to my promises. I only expect some honesty from now on.” 

Neil was feeling trapped. All the words he had spilled at Riko were now escaping him. 

“Don’t answer now. You have three hours to think. If you’re staying, I expect you ready at nine to come to Columbia with us. If you’re leaving, return your talisman to Coach and I expect to never see you again.” 

Andrew pushed Neil out of the dorm. “Tick-tock said the clock. _Vai,_ _coniglio_ _,_ _vai_ _."_

Neil could feel his heart hammering furious against his ribs. He needed to leave. He was actually losing time with this, but a big part of him. Most part of him wanted to cling to Andrew’s promise. Neil couldn’t know if the mini psycho could be enough to keep Neil safe from his past and present catching up to him. 

Yet, he had broken enough promises already, and he had realized that hope was like dropping a match on gasoline. As much as he tried to put down the fire, it was already spreading without control. 


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Guess what!? I missed posting this chapter 😂😂😂  
> Soooorrryyyyy!!!!! I don't know how to count. My bad.

Three hours to vanish or stand his ground and stay. 

Neil couldn’t tell anymore if the trouble was still only for Exy, or if it had become something more along the way when he got to meet the Foxes. Or perhaps it had been when he got to run again in Burlesca, and the promise of Kevin that he would be able to step foot on a Court and play for real in the _real_ world. 

The last time Neil played, was that day when his father took him to Evermore to scrimmage against Kevin and Riko. Neil should’ve known everything would go to hell when the three boys got to see Neil’s father shredding a man in front of them, but Neil had been so happy of finally been allowed by the Butcher to do what he liked the most, that hadn’t cared about anything until his mother ripped him overnight to start their life on the run. 

Before that happened, Mary had driven Neil to other states to let him play in little leagues, and those had been the only happy times they got to share between the fear and the violence lived in their household. 

Now that Neil had managed to get that scarce joy back, even if it was in another world for the moment, with a wooden court and the possibility to play on a real stadium still too far from his reach, he felt like he could touch it if he stretched his hand enough. 

He was unable to let go of it. 

His steps lead Neil to the Foxhole Court. He changed into his practice gear and started walking laps around the inner court. He only intended to warm up for practice shots or Raven drills, since he was having trouble mastering the six back on Burlesca, but his footsteps started gaining speed with every new lap. 

The walk evolved into a throttle. Every time his feet stomped into the floor jolts of pain traveled through Neil’s legs up unto his hips. He increased his pace despite of the feeling and rushed into a sprint. Neil knew he would regret this for long, but he didn’t have it in him to stop. Not when he finally had a choice that didn’t involve running away as he was taught to do. 

Neil wanted to stay and fight this battle his way. He wanted to face Riko on Court, beat the Ravens. Help his team achieve the impossible. This was no longer about being Neil Josten for a couple of months more. This was about being a Fox. He couldn’t give up on it. 

His thoughts and dreams were spiraling so out of control that Neil didn’t notice he was running full speed until his hurt legs stopped responding and made him fall knees first into the polished floor. 

The pain coursing through his legs made a wave of nausea crawl through his stomach. It was like having them smashed all over again. There was also a tight lump in his throat, threatening to shatter him in a thousand pieces before neither Riko nor his father could do the honors. 

“Neil? Oh, Goddess. Neil.” 

Neil was so focused biting back the acid and tears, that he barely registered the concerned voice and the slow footsteps approaching him. 

A gentle hand was placed on his arm and squeezed a bit. With slow movements, the hand became two. Then it was not only hands but an arm around his defeated shoulders. After that, the arm pulled him closer to the other body, and another arm joined to hold his chest and cradle his face. 

It was the first time Neil was being hugged. 

His father only touched him to make him bleed. His mother only held him close to make sure he was safe. No one ever had shown him any tenderness as Abby was doing now. 

Neil wanted to get up and go away. The woman had had enough calming Kevin down after the disaster with Kathy. She didn’t need another broken boy to mend. But Neil found her soft touch soothing among the pain. 

A sob broke free from his throat. His shoulders shook. He couldn’t remember the last time he cried. 

“I want to stay.” 

“Of course you are staying Neil. You are a Fox now. And Foxes take care of each other.” 

*** 

A few hours later, Neil was climbing the stairs of Fox Tower. Every step ached a bit more than the last even after the painkillers he had accepted reluctantly from Abby. 

She had told him to sleep and let her and David figure out the rest, but he had an appointment before he could deserve any pause. 

“There you are!” Dan was approaching, Matt on her heels. 

“We’ve been like crazy looking for you since you disappeared with Andrew. What happened? Do I need to beat him?” 

“No. I’m fine,” Neil said. He could only hope he didn’t have puffy eyes to ignite the couple’s curiosity further. 

“We’re having a movie marathon in our dorm. Renee is getting dinner. Wanna join?” 

Neil shook his head and went straight to the cousins’ dorm. He only knocked once when Andrew opened the door. The manic smile was starting to fade for the night out. 

“I presume you came to return what was lent, _coniglio_.” The twin said, hand extended. 

Neil was still thinking if it was worth blowing his wild card to earn a bit more of Andrew’s favor. If this was going to be the man keeping Neil alive for the next months, he could reveal one of his minor truths as a sign of truce. 

“Non sono un coniglio. Sono una Volpe e sono qui per restare.” _I'm not a rabbit. I'm a Fox, and I'm here to stay._

“Wait, was that Italian? Since when do you speak Italian?” Matt asked somewhere on the back. 

“Who speaks Italian? Oh... Oh!” Nicky said, peeking from the back of the dorm where he had been. “Fuck. Aaron, did you know Neil spoke Italian? Shit. Have we said something we should regret?” 

Neil ignored them. All of his attention was on Andrew’s hazel eyes piercing through every one of his defenses. 

“Com'è inaspettato, ricevere una verità da te senza chiederla.” _How unexpected, receiving a truth from you without asking for it._ Andrew laced both hands behind Neil’s neck. 

“Ora ricorda questo momento, questa sensazione, perché questo è quando smetti di essere un coniglio en esecuzione, una volpe bugiarda, e diventi uno dei miei. Benvenuto nella tua vita, Abramo.” _Now remember this moment, this feeling, because this is when you stop being a running rabbit, a liar fox, and become one of mine. Welcome to your life, Abramo._

"Yes! I knew you were staying! Now let's go, Columbia awaits.” Nicky chirped from the living room, hauling Aaron to get up and follow. While the twin inside left aside the remote of his videogame and turned off the TV, Nicky disappeared into the rooms, probably to drag Kevin as well. 

“You’re kidding me, right?” Dan said from the hallway. Neil had forgotten about them with the intensity of Andrew’s gaze seared in his brain, and the pounding of his chest unable to slow down. 

“No. We’re going.” Andrew replied, stepping out of the dorm. He was pushing Neil to start moving when another door opened. 

Seth stopped out of the doorframe, legs opened, arms to his head. A pair of perfectly manicured hands started patting him from head to toe. “All clean. Let’s go.” Allison said when she finished searching for her boyfriend. 

“No shit. You gotta be fucking kidding me.” Dan complained when she saw Allison and Seth heading for the stairs with another group of roommates. 

“What?” Allison asked, an eyebrow lifted. 

“You’re really going out tonight? Both of you? After this morning’s disaster?” 

“Relax cap, it wasn’t us who fucked up,” Seth told her before sliding an arm on the back of Allison’s waist and start heading down together. 

Defeated by the couple, Dan tuned her anger back to Andrew. “I don’t care what the fuck happens to you, but Neil stays.” 

“He’s one of mine now. He’ll be fine. We’re leaving.” As if on cue, Aaron, Nicky, and Kevin came out of the door. 

Dan gave Neil a desperate look. He shrugged and followed the lot down the stairs. 

*** 

The drive to Columbia went by with constant chatter from Nicky, who bounced from ramble on his own, to ask stuff that sometimes got an answer from Andrew, to ramble again. From the five men in the car, he was without a doubt the happiest for having Neil as part of their group. 

When they arrived at Eden’s Twilight, they scattered. Aaron and Kevin went inside to look for a table, Andrew went to park the car, and Nicky guided Neil to a bathroom to get changed into the clothes kept in a gift bag carried by the older cousin. 

Along the years on the run, Neil had perfected the art of changing in tight spaces at an unbelievable speed. He was small and he was always in a rush, so he had mastered the skill, but after his legs were shattered, fitting himself in a cubicle and maneuvering with clothes had become a huge headache he avoided at all costs. 

Now, after his stunt on court earlier, fitting into the tight clothes bought for him inside the small bathroom of the club was almost impossible. It crossed his mind more than once to just leave his pants on, but he didn’t want to see what Andrew’s reaction would be, so he struggled until he was all in black, with his real eyes on display before getting out of the bathroom. 

“I know we are technically family now, but whenever you want a push to come out of the closet, give a shout, don’t you?” 

“Family?” Neil asked instead of fueling Nicky’s filthy offerings. 

“Yeah, that’s why I like to call it anyway. We’re a family you know? Everyone that Wymack chooses to travel, and mostly, everyone that Andrew chooses to protect. It’s far from perfect, I know, but what family isn’t?” The smile of the man faltered for a second before returning. 

Once they found the lot, Andrew grabbed Neil to the bar and waited again for the same tender as the last time. Roland. 

“Same?” Roland asked. 

“For us, yes. You?” Andrew asked Neil. 

“As if I had a choice.” 

“From now on, you do.” With Neil’s silence, Andrew ordered for him. “Soda. You heard, keep all clean.” Roland nodded and disappear to prepare the tray. 

The rest of the night went by quietly. The cousins and Kevin knocked one drink after the other until Neil wondered how they could be standing by the time Andrew ushered them out of the club. The ride passed by in comfortable silence. 

Once in the house, everyone scattered to their rooms. 

“See you soon,” Nicky said to Neil, winking. Then he vanished upstairs. 

Andrew watched the couch, and then he looked at Neil. “Come.” He said before giving half a turn and heading to the upper floor too. 

He led Neil to the same room Neil had woken up after his last trip to Columbia. Neil’s palms were suddenly sweating for no reason. He had been stravagating for days now. It wasn’t anything new. 

Neil was looking the double bed, wondering if he should move or ask first. A small nod made Neil move. He took off his shoes with some effort after the painkillers were long gone from his system and got inside the blankets to the far corner of the bed, but kept looking at Andrew. 

“I only need it to stravagate, you need it to sleep, dumbass.” 

Neil pulled the covers. It was more than strange trying to fall asleep with the deep gaze of Andrew fixed on him, and his instincts screaming to don’t let his guard down. Neil tried, and tried, and tried to sleep with no success. The last time he shared a bed, his mother had been with him, and both hid guns under the pillows. 

Andrew let out an annoyed sigh when he noticed Neil wasn't falling asleep anytime soon. “Sleep for fuck’s sake. I’m tired.” 

“Of me?” 

“I hate you.” 

Neil couldn’t hide the small smile spreading on his face as he allowed himself to drift off. 

He wasn’t afraid of Talia anymore. 


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Missed posting chapter 12. Whoops. This will make sense now, though.

Neil woke up slowly with the late morning light that filtered through the window. He felt the slight shift of the bed before he opened his eyes.   
  
Andrew was already getting out of the room. After everything that had happened since the last time he stravagated, Neil was feeling good.   
  
He went down the stairs close to Andrew, careful not to crowd him.   
  
“Why the hell it took you so long? My body screams ice cream!” Nicky said, jumping from the couch he was sitting on with Aaron. Kevin was on the one across them.   
  
The five men headed out and repeated the route from Neil’s first travel to Belleza. They didn’t even walk other streets once in the City of Masks and went straight to find a seat at Di Dolcezza.   
  
This time, Neil went with Nicky to help him get the ice creams. He unconsciously slid his cup to the side after he was full, but Andrew took it and dig until the last bit of sweet goodness was gone without saying a word.   
  
When they finished, they headed to show Neil the mandorliers-the men who rowed the mandorlas-, and of course, Kevin started bitching about how that would be a good exercise for Neil to do after he mastered the six Raven drills. Neil was in such a good mood that he didn’t care.   
  
As the group wandered around the city, Neil even dared to believe that things were going to be alright. Perhaps siding with Andrew was all he needed to stay alive, and maybe, even start to live.   
  
“Kevin.”   
  
The five men startled when Jean’s voice surprised them from behind. By the time Neil and Nicky turned around, Andrew had already a knife pointed with one hand and a fierce grip with his other arm around Jean’s neck, who had multicolored bruises along his face.   
  
“I’ve told you before I don’t like surprises.” Andrew’s deadly whisper sent a shiver of fear across Neil’s spine.   
  
“Sorry,” Jean said throw half-coughs from the restraint. “I came to warn you.”   
  
“You’ve warned us more than enough. Fuck off.” Aaron spat at the player.   
  
“No. This is not for Kevin alone. The king is coming for you.” Jean fixed his gaze on Neil. Andrew released the man and turned him around too fast. “He’s won the first round.”   
  
“What did he do?” Kevin asked. He was pale, his voice was barely hanging by a thread.   
  
“Don’t know. He was seething after this morning, and a couple of minutes ago he was rejoicing.”   
  
“When you actually know something useful, you can come close to us again. Until then, go away. If I see your face another time when you got nothing to say, you’ll wish it was Riko killing you. Got it?”   
  
Jean looked from the blond menace to Kevin. Then he settled his gaze on Neil again. “You should be running now.” The backliner went away before Andrew could grab him another time and fulfill his most recent threat.   
  
“So what? We’re not coming back because of your delusional sidekick?” Aaron asked Kevin, but the striker was too numb to pay any attention to his surroundings.   
  
“Riko can’t get to us here, can he?” Nicky asked Andrew shortly after.   
  
Andrew ignored both to get to Kevin, who was having a panic attack of bigger proportions than the one Neil was fighting to keep at bay. Andrew grabbed the striker from the neck and brought his head to eye level. “He’s playing with you. You know this.”   
  
Minutes passed before Kevin stopped hyperventilating and could focus on Andrew’s words. “Whatever the fuck Jean said, Riko didn’t do it to us. He wouldn’t. You know you are untouchable here. Breathe.”   
  
“He’s going to kill us. All of us.”   
  
“That’s not what I promised. Is it?” Kevin fixed his scared eyes on Andrew until he denied. The blond released his hold when he was sure the striker could stand on his own. “Now, let’s go see the Duchess palace.”   
  
Weariness was circling between Neil, Kevin, and Nicky. The twins seemed unperturbed by Jean’s surprise and toured the palace without saying a word.   
  
The feeling of being followed returned to Neil. He was looking over his shoulder every few minutes, despite Andrew’s assurances that they had nothing to fear.   
  
Nicky had swallowed his fear in favor of talking about the palace and the Duchess. They headed from the upper floors, where the Duchess’ chambers used to be, to the dungeons where the last Duchess had been held hostage before taking the throne when she was fifteen.   
  
It took Neil most of the tour until he finally started to relax, but the moment Aaron opened the front door of the white house, Neil knew something was wrong.   
  
Wymack and Abby were both standing in the living room. The woman was rubbing her hands through the Coach’s arms. Both had worried expressions. Nicky was still talking to Neil about the Duchesses of Bellezza when he took in the scene. He shut up abruptly.   
  
Moments after Andrew closed the door behind them, Wymack finally got released from Abby’s comfort to face the group.   
  
“Seth overdosed.”   
  
“Warned the idiot,” Andrew said, unimpressed.   
  
“He’s almost brain dead.”   
  
“What? No.” Nicky dropped onto the nearest couch. Aaron looked dumbstruck. He sat by his cousin’s side.   
  
“Riko,” Kevin said. Barely a whisper.   
  
“Why the fuck would Riko hurt Seth? That man had enough trouble getting away from his addictions the first three times, it was only a matter of time for it to happen again.”   
  
“Too much coincidence for this to happen the same day Neil says he’s going to end the Ravens. Don’t you think Coach? Now you have only two choices: send your assistant coach into the starting line when he can almost walk, or retrieve the Foxes with only one match played in the season. I don’t need to remind you what will happen if we lose again, do I?”   
  
“Shut the fuck up wiseass. No one asked for your opinion.”   
  
“You know I’m right anyway,” Andrew replied with a shrug and headed upstairs.   
  
Neil was anchored to the floor, looking how Kevin was close to being sick. His stomach not so far from losing the battle. “Seth is not death.” The striker said with a gasp.   
  
“He is as good as dead Kevin. It’s not like I can rush into the hospital and bring him back to life by smacking him or shouting on his nonsense.”   
  
“We’re fucked.” Kevin said after a minute, oblivious to Wymack’s words.   
  
“The hell we are. We still got time ‘til the next match. Neil will start training with us if Abby allows it.” The nurse spared a fond look for Neil. “We will change the line up around him so he doesn’t get hurt and the ERC doesn’t come biting our ass. But we are not fucked. Damn it, Day. Look at me.” Wymack shook Kevin violently until his glassy eyes were focused on the Coach. “We. Are. Not. Fucked.”   
  
The encounter was too raw and too personal for Neil to bear it. Abby had approached Kevin and Wymack. Nicky and Aaron were grieving Seth even if they spent all the time around him fighting.   
  
Neil couldn’t stand being around. He was fighting his own internal battles. He couldn’t play yet. Maybe never. He still had to face the consequences of his rant, and now he was thrown into the starting line-up with only a couple of hours on court and a pair of overly damaged legs.   
  
He climbed the stairs, expecting to find the room he was used to waking up in empty, but Andrew was sitting on the bed.   
  
“You’re not going away now, are you?”   
  
Neil swallowed hard. “I should. But I said I’ll stay. That’s what I’ll do.”   
  
Instead of answering, Andrew threw something at him. Neil caught it by instinct, but it took him a moment to realize what it was.   
  
“Keys?” He looked from the metal in his hand to the bored look of the twin.   
  
“What, they don’t have any in Arizona?”   
  
Neil did his best to stop an eye roll. “I know what they are, I don’t know what this means.”   
  
“It means that you can enter this house or the one in Columbia at your own will. Now get on the bed.”   
  
“And how do I call it?” Andrew just kept looking at him. “This house. The one at Burlesca. How do I call them?”   
  
“Call them home.”   
  
It didn’t matter what the future held for Neil. If he’ll live a painful death soon, or after Andrew’s protection expired. He was now forced to play and he had keys. A place to stay, somewhere to belong. Someone watching his back.   
  
Once Neil woke up, his legs will still be fucked up. He will be in pain for pushing them too much. But the keys on his pocket a reminder that he had now a place where he could belong. Two places, where he could belong after having nothing and being nothing.   
  
For that, he was ready to do anything until he was ready to play on a Court, because he had never had so much in his life, and he was ready to fight for it even if he died trying.   
  
However, his last thought before falling asleep was the way dusk light got caught in Andrew’s blond hair as the twin watched Neil return to the real world. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Holy moly! This is the end of book 1.  
> If you still feel discouraged (hope not), Andrew's POV will come in for the rest of the ~~angst~~ story. Just you wait 😉


	14. Andrew

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> After the little tripping, welcome to _Il Re Corvo_. Are you ready for what's coming?
> 
> This chapter was written to the sound of [[Untitled]](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZQ7oqmikZDQ) by Simple Plan.
> 
> (Go back to chapter 12 if you haven't read it. Forgot to post it. I don't know how to count.)

* * *

_Two years before meeting Neil._

* * *

Nicky, the ever optimistic, was the one dragging Andrew and Aaron to Subway that Friday afternoon after late practice. 

Their cousin was doing his very best to lure them into talk, but neither brother was willing to make it easy for him. 

Of all the things breaking Andrew and Aaron apart, their hatred for Tilda was the only common ground they could find, and they agreed that getting home as late as they could was the best. It was always better the fake cheer of Nicky, than the very real fists of the woman on Aaron’s face whenever she had the chance. 

Andrew was running out of ideas of how to get rid of her without going back to jail. That was what he was thinking of as he shredded his sandwich, when a big stranger with tribal tattoos on his arms and a look that said he had seen it all sat at their table. 

The man clearly hadn’t seen Andrew close enough if he was bold-or stupid-enough to do that. 

Oblivious that this could be the last seconds of his life, the man put three folders over the table, in the middle of their plastic baskets. 

“I’m looking for a full defense line and you are one. I’ve seen your stats, a couple of games. You,” The stranger pointed at Nicky. “are a little rusty, but with some training can get back to where you were. What do you say?” 

“Get the fuck away from us,” Aaron said. An unexpected show of bravado. 

The man turned to see Andrew, unimpressed by his brother. “What he said.” 

“You haven’t heard the full offer yet.” 

Andrew didn’t need to hear. He had caught a glimpse of a hideous keychain in the shape of an orange fox paw. His mouth was pulling in a smile too big for his face. He hated those drugs and his sponge memory more than he hated Tilda. 

“Don’t need to. You are David V. Wymack. Coach of the ragtag team from Palmetto State University which is about to disappear if you don’t stop making a fool of yourselves this season. Not going.” 

Despite Andrew’s negative, and Aaron’s attitude, Nicky had stretched his hand to peek at the folders on the table. Andrew wanted to smack down his cousin, but he was a bit too far, and Andrew didn’t feel like moving with David V. Wymack so close. 

“What if I offer you also a way to escape your life before summer?” 

“Really? I mean. You can’t.” Fucking Aaron. Believing every lie he heard. 

The moron was now paying attention to David V. Wymack. The man was smart, for Andrew’s misfortune. Both knew two out of three were getting on his side. Neither his brother or his cousin would do anything Andrew didn’t allow them to, but they were _wondering_. 

And wondering in this world only lead to bad things. They just seemed to have horizontal learning curves. 

David V. Wymack dug inside his pockets and dropped three silver fox pins on the table. 

One was on his back, paws up, playful. The other was curled up, sleeping. The last one seemed ready to attack. 

Andrew wanted to throw them away, but at the same time, he wanted to grab the attacking fox. It was _calling_ to him. 

Fucking drugs. 

“Take this as proof of my offer. You might want to sleep with them.” David V. Wymack said before standing up and leaving. 

Nicky tried to talk about what had happened, but Andrew shushed him. Aaron was holding for dear life to the fucking pin. Andrew stuffed the remaining one in his pocket and tried, tried, tried to forget about it. As if that was possible. 

By the time Andrew and Aaron were dropped at Tilda’s house, all the lights were off. For a moment, Andrew dared to believe that the woman was away. 

Aaron was ahead of him to get inside. He seemed anxious to figure out what was the trick with the fucking pins when a hand grabbed his hair and slammed him to the nearest wall. 

“Where the hell you were useless pricks? Do you think I work my ass off just so you stay out all day?” Her fists were crashing over and over Aaron. 

The stupor from the drugs still made Andrew slow from time to time, when it mattered the most, and he was distracted by the steady rhythm of the beating. He needed to focus with all his strength on getting back to reality. Concentrate on only one thing to move fast and put himself between Tilda and Aaron. 

The woman was smart enough to stop her hands before landing a punch on Andrew. He held his gaze and a manic smile on her until she retreated, and stood in his place even after Aaron got up and went to his room. 

Andrew didn’t have a room for him there. Only at Nicky’s. So, he climbed the stairs and sat outside Aaron’s door. If Tilda wanted to pay his brother a night visit, she’ll have to pass through Andrew first. 

He counted seconds that turned into minutes. His ideas bouncing, bouncing, bouncing from one way to kill her to the other. None of them was good. He would be imprisoned. Aaron and Nicky would be on their own and he made them a promise. 

It was a promise broken after Nicky’s attack. A promise broken every time Tilda grabbed Aaron before Andrew could stop her, but a promise he was not going to give up on. 

Andrew fell asleep thinking of a way to live without Tilda before they turned eighteen. 

*** 

Andrew was finally losing it to the drugs. 

He was standing in the middle of a narrow, dirty street. Small multicolored houses filled every side. There were no noises but birds, and far in the distance, the soft murmur of waves crashing on the shore. 

Andrew never dreamt. And when he did, it was always nightmares. Not cozy houses on weird places, with perfect weather. He took out a knife. There was something real to this dream that was crawling on his skin and he needed to slash it. Even if his thoughts weren’t bouncing. But then again, they never did in nightmares. 

“Andrew?” He turned around to find Aaron. His face was clear from any bruises, but he was still dressed as he had during the day. Same went for Andrew. 

“Aaron? What is going on? Andrew you...” Nicky was walking towards them; he was wearing only his pajama pants, and his curly hair was dazzled from the pillow. 

It was only when Nicky went pale that Andrew realized what was the weirdest thing yet. Not only his mind was steady and his face was in place. It was for _real_ somehow. 

He wasn’t on the drugs anymore. It had been five months since the last time he was sober. And still, something rolled in his chest by being in that place which allowed him to be clean. 

“There you are. Didn’t think you’ll come.” David V. Wymack, dressed in clothes from the XVI...No, the XVII century, was approaching them. 

Andrew pointed his knife at him. Nicky talked. “What the fuck is going on? Why am I dreaming such a weird thing?” 

“Why don’t we have shadows?” Andrew asked when he noticed neither of them cast any. 

“You’re not dreaming. You’re stravagating.” David V. Wymack said. “You fell asleep with the pins I gave you. They brought you here. We don’t have shadows because we are alive in our own world and you are the first Foxes to come.” 

“Why? We’re not even Foxes yet.” Aaron asked, stepping out from Andrew’s protection. 

“Because you clearly need an escape. I can’t go over legal custody and stuff, but I can bring you here. Come to my house and I’ll explain.” 

Nicky and Aaron turned to see Andrew. Andrew’s interest was caught now. 

He wasn’t on drugs, but most importantly, Aaron wasn’t hurt or trying to take any medicine available in the bathroom cabinet, and there was no sign of Tilda, which meant they could be with Nicky without hiding. 

Andrew nodded and walked behind David V. Wymack to the only white house around. 

Within a few hours of rambling, the Coach brought down the sun, moon, and stars for the three cousins to take. 

By the end, Nicky and Aaron were ready to change into similar ancient clothes and start exploring the city. 

Andrew was looking at the big picture before him. 

*** 

It was their fifth Friday stravagating since Coach gave them the talismans. Andrew was ready. 

Aaron and Nicky worked until late, and Andrew had made sure his brother stayed with their cousin for the night so they could stravagate undisturbed. Coach had told them what happened to their bodies while they were gone, and Andrew didn’t want to think of Tilda beating Aaron to death because she couldn’t wake him up, so he made sure they only traveled at Nicky’s. 

Since both were working, neither would be worried if Andrew didn’t get home early and anyway, they wouldn’t ask where he was. 

Andrew had missed his last dose of drugs and they were wearing off by the time he got to Tilda’s house. She was still out. Good. It gave him time to go into Aaron’s bedroom and borrowed some clothes. Then, he headed to the kitchen and started dropping every single thing he found to the floor. That would make Tilda angry. 

When he was done, he went to the couch and lay back to wait for dear mother’s arrival. 

The key on the lock made Andrew stand up and go back to the kitchen. He had left the coffee maker and the blender to throw at last. 

Of course, when Andrew was out of the drugs, the stupid woman couldn’t tell the difference between the twins, so she started shouting her pile of nonsense while she landed punch after punch after punch on Andrew’s body. 

He didn’t say a word. He didn’t wince. He didn’t scream. He would never beg. He just focused all his hatred on what was to come. Not in the blood dripping from his face, and certainly not in the knives hidden on his armbands, covered by the long sleeves he let Tilda see when she made a pause. 

The woman went pale when she saw what she had done, but her anger didn’t tune down. 

“That’s it you fucking useless manic psycho. We’re going for Aaron. He’s with Nicholas, isn’t he?” 

Without saying anything, Andrew got into the passenger's seat. He didn’t pull on his belt so Tilda couldn’t remember to do the same. Anyway, she was too furious to care. So, she drove above the speed limit, without the seat belt. 

Andrew knew the streets from Tilda’s to Nicky’s place like he remembered everything else absorbed on his mind. Only two more streets before the turn to join the highway that led to his cousin’s house. 

Andrew only needed to give the steering wheel a light push for Tilda to lose control. The car spun several times across the deserted highway before getting smashed with the lane fence. It rolled over and landed hard in the space between ways of the road. 

Andrew didn’t see his life pass before him as he grabbed with all his strength from his seat and the handle on the ceiling. He saw every light spinning, and every piece of shattered glass cutting his skin. He saw the moment Tilda was ejected from the car. At that moment when he knew Aaron and him were finally free, he let go of his hold and allowed death to grab him while it could. 

*** 

Andrew woke up with a flinch. Dying gave feelings, after all. 

He had woken up in a room with the blue ceiling inside of the white house Coach said could be their home when they stravagated. It took him a moment to conceal the fact that he was feeling _solid_ for the first time since he had gotten there. And when he stretched his hand across the light filtering through the window, he found that there was a shadow casting on the opposite wall. 

According to what Coach had told them on previous visits, it was necessary an object from the world meant to visit in order to stravagate. Andrew had come with his armbands and knives. They should be enough. He lay down and willed himself to fall asleep again. 

Part of the perks about crashing at three in the morning on the highway leading to the outskirts of Columbia was that there wasn’t traffic. So when Andrew woke up in the middle of the highway, he could take his time dragging his own bloodied body out of the havoc, find the shovel he had stuffed in the trunk, and start digging his own grave on a place where there wasn’t any grass for it to arise suspicions. 

When he finished, he decided to fall asleep on the ground beside where his former body was buried. 

Wymack would give him hell for what he had done. There was a chance that the timeline had moved and Andrew wouldn’t find his family again on Burlesca, but they would going to be alright here and that was all that mattered. 

Aaron was free from Tilda. He could move with Nicky. They would join the Foxes, and for the first time in their fucked-up lives, they had a real chance that things could start looking up. 

Andrew never fell asleep so fast in his life. 


	15. Andrew

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Now that the chapter count is fixed, the story can go on!  
> (Chapter 12 was missing, sorry for the last time)

Silly, silly people. 

There was nothing more to fear, and yet, Abby had insisted on taking the upperclassmen to her house for the weekend, while Coach had taken Neil with him. Andrew couldn’t understand the fuss any way he tried. Riko wasn’t going to get close to anybody else. Not yet. He wasn’t _that_ stupid. 

If Andrew cared or was fond of getting into none of his business, like Coach or Abby, he’d be more concerned about the strikers that still were breathing on their own. Not a good hint that their brains were more functional than Seth’s, though. 

While the upperclassmen, and even Nicky and Aaron moped over Seth’s “misfortune”, Neil and Kevin had spent the last days training in Burlesca like madmen. 

For the first time in years, Andrew wished the effect of his drugs could be taken to the other world. Their efforts at least would be amusing if he was high as a kite while he watched them, but sober and out of drugs, he was close to be sick with so much ridiculousness shared between the two. 

That was why he was taking an eternity to return to afternoon practice on Wednesday after his meeting with Betsy. 

He didn’t care about Seth. He didn’t care about Exy. He didn’t care about the match next Friday. And the last people he swore to protect were going to kill themselves from exhaustion before Riko could even fathom a painful death for either of them, so Andrew didn’t have any reason to rush. 

Besides, there was an uncomfortable itch in the deepest part of his hazed brain bothering him every time he saw Neil trying to run in this world. That was truly pathetic. The stupid coniglio had gotten used too fast to being healthy on Talia, and he wasn’t taking it with grace being fucked up in his real world. But that wasn’t the worst. It was the fact that the itch urged Andrew to help. As if he could. 

The first thing that Andrew noticed as he stepped foot on the court, was the silence. Everyone could mop and whine all they wanted, but there was no denial that erasing Seth from the picture was more of a blessing than it was a curse. They were uncomfortable, sad, and hanging by threads. Also wary about not breaking their precious Neil with a tough bodycheck, but they were moving as one. 

And they didn’t need him, so Andrew went as slow as it was humanly possible to the locker rooms to change. 

By the time he was ready, Coach was in the middle of his lame team talks when his phone rang. Good. Despite the stupid amusement that never left him in this world, he wasn’t ready to bear another talk regarding their lost striker. 

He would better ask Renee what were her thoughts regarding the evolution of clocks. That made more sense. 

“Minyard! Get your tiny ass over here.” Coach demanded. Finger pointed directly to Andrew. 

Andrew’s smile was spreading with drug-induced delight as he approached. Oh, so many answers to why he was late. So many chances to make Coach curse. 

“How the flying fuck did you got in problems with the police?” Coach inquired, covering the speaker. 

“Ask my copy. I’m dead.” 

“It wasn’t me.” Why Aaron was there when no one invited him, Andrew could only guess. Nosy as always. 

“I’m waiting. I recall very clearly telling you to never ever pull a fucking stunt ever again.” 

“I didn’t.” Andrew was floating above reality most of the time, but he wasn’t too far gone as to break his agreement with Coach. 

After he got himself killed, Coach allowed him to keep being Andrew Minyard on the condition to never fuck it up again. He was meant to compel with his contract, return to Burlesca every night and avoid jail or any other inconvenience at all costs if he didn’t want to die another time. That was if changing bodies and worlds so many times was even possible. 

He didn’t want to know. And he hadn’t done anything the police should know of. 

“Then why is a fucking Oakland cop calling me, asking for you?” 

That was one of those rare moments when Andrew and Aaron acted like twins. And he hated it. Ground was sweeping from below their feet. And Andrew could see the mirror of his concern in the pale gaze from his doppelganger. Not funny. 

Andrew snatched the phone from Coach. “Not here. Try again in the next life!” He said and hung up. 

Not even two seconds had passed when the phone started dancing on Andrew’s hand. Same number. “Not the next life yet.” He said before hanging up again. 

Coach was looking at him with an eyebrow rising slowly in anger. Andrew didn’t care. He couldn’t even try caring when the phone came back to life another time. 

As the infuriating song from Coach’s phone sang, Andrew considered his options. He could hang up on Pig Higgins all afternoon and then all night, but the man was persistent when he felt like it, which was most of the time. Or he could answer and face a part of his prior life that was buried deeper than his former body was. 

Andrew had made sure that that part of him never came hunting him. He would rather go to juvie, stand Tilda, get into forced drugs and die over and over again than go back to that place of fake hope and false promises that Cass Spear had built for him. 

He had places to go and stay now. He was swimming the boringness of life as best as he could until the definitive end came, and he wasn’t willing to do so with a new reminder of what he could have. Yet, he answered anyway. 

“Pig Higgins! Getting old I see. Forgetting I don’t like surprises.” 

“Hello, Andrew. I didn’t forget, but I’m in need of your help.” Andrew could feel the inquisitive stares from his busybody teammates. He turned around and started walking far from everyone’s ear reach as the pig kept talking. “Days ago, a kid from the Spear’s house called to say he had been-” 

“No.” Andrew cut him off. He didn’t need the next words engraved into his fucking sponge of memory. “She said there would be no other kids. Try again.” Andrew needed to hang up and get away, but his hand was clutching tight to the plastic transferring the annoying voice to his ears. 

“This is my fifth try, Andrew. I wouldn’t be calling you if we weren’t running out of alternatives. We need your-” 

“I said no.” 

This time, Andrew was able to take the device from his ear and let it fall on the hard floor. The ground was shaking beneath him and it wasn’t a side effect of the pills messing with his brain. 

During the first weeks of his new double life, Andrew had clung to the idea that he was finally free of his past. That from that point on, he could focus on leaving the nightmares behind, and now, with one call, every single night screaming had come crashing back to him. He strode out of the court. He needed the steady rhythm of the waves crashing on the shore of Burlesca to ease his feelings. 

That was his reality now. 

Not Cass. Not Pig Higgins. Not that kid calling for help. 

“Where the fuck you’re going? We’re in the middle of practice.” Kevin had reached Andrew in a couple of strides. His face was contorted with stress and frustration that Andrew wasn’t going to take away now. 

“Oh! I didn’t realize you were blind. You know where I’m going.” 

“You’re running away because of a whim? We are two days away from our match and-” 

Andrew didn’t give much thought when he slammed his fist full force in the wall beside Kevin’s head, but he got a tiny bit of satisfaction in the flinch the man gave and the sting of his fake knuckles splitting up. 

“You have Joan of Exy and Professor X over there. You can survive without me.” 

“Minyard!” Coach was now on his heels too. Andrew’s knives felt heavy in his armbands, ready to come out. 

“Coach, let him.” And finally, Aaron displayed some common sense. His cheap copy wasn’t so dumb from time to time. 

Andrew kept walking without looking back, and headed to his room, took a bottle of liquor from the cabinets, and climbed the stairs leading to the roof. 

There was no way on Earth he’ll fall asleep with amusement and hatred revolving in him, but he could knock himself unconscious if he drank just enough after a dose of his hideous medicine. 

The empty bottle was the only sign of someone on the roof a couple of minutes after. 

*** 

It was still dark when Andrew woke up on his bed in Burlesca. He grabbed tight the covers where Neil would be appearing in a couple of hours and watched the ceiling until the beating of his heart was steady again. 

He was safe. No one will hurt him here. No one could reach him here. 

He needed another five minutes before he was ready to stand up. 

He changed into his clothes and went the same way for the abandoned barn that Wymack had turned into a court, but instead of getting inside, he kept walking by the border of the cliffs that ended abruptly before descending into the open sea. 

The fear of falling from there was bigger than what he felt on top of Fox Tower. If he fell from the building, he would only wake up with a startle back here. Not even a scratch as proof of the pain or the fear. But if he fell here, he would have to face the hit on the water, drowning in the open sea against his efforts to stay afloat, and fight through the darkness of the night. 

The full combo sounded like an awful death he wasn’t willing to discover anytime soon. 

It took some effort to peel his eyes from the temptation though. If he drowned, Pig Higgins won’t bother him ever again. Nonetheless, he had many promises he would be going to break if he succumbed. So, he looked up at the stars. Found every constellation named so far, and when he assumed practice was near to be over, he headed back to the house. 

It wouldn’t be good for everyone’s nerves if Andrew disappeared shortly after the first attack from Riko. 

Maybe he could borrow Renee for sparring and erase the remains of dread from the pig’s call after some punches. 

That sounded more like a plan. 

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you so much for reading!
> 
> Playlist can be found [here](https://doodlingstuff.tumblr.com/private/642959134520705024/tumblr_S1hAz7L9yIJl6Utuf)
> 
> Comments, kudos, likes, and shares always make my life worth living 🤗
> 
> For more AFTG / TRC or if you are lonely like me, looking for a friend, come head over to [@doodlingstuff](https://doodlingstuff.tumblr.com) and [@trispitas](https://www.instagram.com/trispitas) to talk or ramble or get a glimpse of upcoming fics and fanarts.
> 
> See you there!


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